Musings...

Change of Location

2010-12-10T23:56:00.000-08:00

"Musings" is dead, I'm afraid. This past semester (Fall, 2010) in Washington, DC has changed me. Going to try a fresh start over at WordPress. So head on over!

acwords.wordpress.com

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before but...

2010-05-14T17:09:00.000-07:00

Tim Keller is my favorite preacher, pretty much no doubt about it now. I've never heard anyone integrate apologetics, relevant insight into Scripture, and the supremacy of Christ so seamlessly and effectively. I'd encourage you to check out some of his stuff this summer, and it certainly wouldn't hurt ot recommend him to unbelieving friend or skeptic.

Here's something Keller said about preaching:
http://adrianwarnock.com/2009/03/preach-to-change-them-in-their-seats/

Next issue of The Master's Piece

2010-05-03T11:45:00.000-07:00

The April issue is out, and hopefully May and June are right on the way.

You can check out both issues (March and April) here: http://bobswordfactory.com/BWF_1/Home.html

I've been published again!

2010-04-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

It's a review of Malcolm Gladwell's second book, Blink. Check it out at RedFence:

http://www.redfenceproject.com/blog2/textpattern/article/390/book-review-blink-by-malcolm-gladwell

PS: In case you missed it, several months ago I reviewed Gladwell's first book, The Tipping Point, at the same place:

http://www.redfenceproject.com/blog2/textpattern/article/382/book-the-tipping-point-by-malcolm-gladwell

Shamless Plug for, well, me!

2010-03-28T20:25:00.000-07:00

The college I'm at recently produced a student publication. The first edition is online. I have a few articles in it. I'd encourage you to check it out for an inside glimpse at The Master's College!

http://www.masters.edu/undergrad/studentperspective/

The Beach: An Essay (revised)

2010-02-28T15:13:00.000-08:00

The following is an updated essay that I posted on here a while ago. It's seen several parts rewritten and edited, and it's been through trial by fire in a workshop with Dr. Simons. Hopefully that means it's better.

Last summer, mid-June to be precise, I spent several days camping at Carpentaria Beach. Away from friends, internet, and responsibilities, I realized as soon as the great blue sea came into sight: there's something special about the beach.

I do not mean any one specific beach or area of coastland, mind you. The beach. It is the beginning and end of a thousand voyages, the subject of countless songs and legends, the ideal romantic getaway, full of beauty, power, danger, and mystery. Men have bled and died for even a few feet of this razor strip. One could hardly find a better place to spend time alone, yet even in human solitude the wildlife abounds in a flurry of activity. Where would we be, where would our lives be, I wonder, without that crucial meeting point of the sea and land, the bridge between the two great worlds, a springboard from reality to fantasy?

As I hiked along the bluffs of Carpentaria I came across a tree. Now this tree had no tangibly outstanding features; I couldn’t even name what kind of tree it was. No leaves graced its gnarled bows as it stretched its few tired gray limbs towards the sky. It looked scarred and beaten. Surely it had endured all manner of winds, rain, lightning strikes, and flames. A certain intangible aura of emotion emanated from its rough bark. I wondered at the things it had seen—the gradual smoothing of the rocks below, the migration of whales and seals, the construction of the oil rigs which now dotted the horizon, perhaps the occasional couple or troubled soul who sought the privacy of the shore below. Standing alone for a hundred yards in every direction, it stood like a lone sentinel watching over the rocks and sand. Only one green branch that sagged to the ground sustained this sage of the coast. It did nothing to detract from the rickety crown adorned only by the nest of a lone black bird.

When I took art classes in high school, I would have spent weeks capturing a tree like this with my pastels. If I ever wrote a book involving the sea, I would find no shame in gracing the cover with an image of this tree. There could be a treasure, or some secret message, the key to a life-changing discovery, hidden under it for all I knew. In any half-decent story about this tree, there sure would have been. Should I grow up to be a filmmaker or writer, I may return to that tree to shoot a closing scene or seek inspiration. A fitting deed, I think—something to immortalize this unsung wonder of nature. Surely its story is one worth remembering.

I continued on along the bluffs. From the layered rock seeped a strange oily substance. I don’t know whether it came naturally from the depths of the earth or if the operations of the rigs offshore left it as a by-product, but I chose to believe the former. Looking down at my sandaled feet, I took care to avoid stepping in it. All the sand grains and dirt on my feet usually bother me to no end, but at the beach it never matters. Eventually I descended the small rocky face down to the sloping sand below where a series of tide pools lay sprawled before me. My eyes quickly begin probing the shallows. I found nothing of interest as I skirted the pools, eventually wandering across the uneven rocks and toward the open sea where the last boulder jutted out of the water. The wind rustled my shaggy hair while the waves growled in their persistent raging against the land. I paused and inhaled deeply, recalling the words of the Psalmist: “For He founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the waters.”

Much has passed since all of that happened. Were it not for my own note-taking shortly after the trip I probably would have forgotten about that tree by now. Soon the bustle and distractions of summer sunk over me, in turn giving way to autumn’s new semester of books, faces, and computer screens. A few sentimental days of Christmas break flash by like several frames from a film. Days blend into one monotonous memory. The wind comes and goes, the skies rain, the sun shines, and still I find myself fighting the reality of the matter. In the real world there is no buried treasure or happily-ever-after love story. In the end it is no more than a tree. One of thousands—perhaps millions—of its kind, and an insignificant one at that.

Over the years, the beach has come to mean different things to me. As I return year after year, with different people and different circumstances, each perspective seems to sing a few new bars of creation’s invisible song. First it was the simple joys of the waves and sand. The big, cold waters always threatened to knock me off my feet. I would run out to the ocean and scamper back to the high ground over and over again as the swells came in after me. I could dig in the sand all day, a poor medium but one in infinite supply, and never grow disheartened or bored.

Later on, the waves became little more than afterthoughts as the local wildlife captured my supreme interest. I recall a brief trip out to sea on a sizable sailing boat where a net was let down to drag up all kinds of ocean dwelling life forms. I marveled at the flat fish with two eyes on the same side of their head, the morphing starfish, and the great stingrays. I was only too glad to handle the creatures, especially the pancake sized rays (harmless, I suppose) that fit into my child's hands. On a different trip, I spent hours crawling over a human-deposited rock outcropping in search of crabs. It posed quite the challenge. The green-brown crabs, no bigger than my palm, skittered across the rocks and managed to wedge themselves into crags so thin that even my fearless, prying fingers could not squeeze them out. I eventually learned how to catch these little beasts, until one time a particularly desperate crab sent me running back to my family, screaming at the top of my lungs, a severed pincer clamped on my finger.

Next came boogie boarding and ultimate Frisbee. Back then, boogie boarding required big-time skill—nearly surfing-caliber skill—that I fancied myself to naturally possess. Suddenly, the waves were paramount. Long minutes passed in freezing waist-deep swells before anything worth riding emerged from far offshore. If you finally caught a big one, relish it, ride it, take it all the way to the sand. Let the wave do the work. Good job, now go do it again. Even ultimate—a miserable sport to play given the wind and noticeable slope of the beach—can function on the coast. Come to think of it, I can’t imagine a better place to toss a Frisbee around.

Today, I still enjoy being teased by the waves, searching for crabs, and throwing Frisbees, but the wonder has grown much greater. Slowly but surely, all the hidden melodies of the beach are beginning to meld together. The endlessly crashing waves—blue-gray under the often cloudy sky—echo softly up the dunes. The giant stained rocks stand defiant against the elements. The thick sand extends to my right and left for miles. The infinite horizon in the distance forever embraces the deep sea. They say the world is shrinking, with jet planes and internet cell-phones, and I supposed in some ways it is. But when I stand out on the wave-swept sands and stare out to sea, I feel small. Maybe, just maybe, the coast has always been the same, and we, with our instant-access world, merely fancy ourselves to be growing.

That tree was small, yet huge, all at the same time. I suspect that most hikers pass it up without a second thought, but for the artist, it shakes the imagination. I've never been able to stop any of those waves: waves which contain an entirely new world of creatures underneath them, waves that refused to submit to my sand barricades. Even on my best day throwing the Frisbee, the wind still holds the final say over the disk’s flight. Who am I, a mere sapling of life, to speak to that old, wrinkled tree?

I realized I haven't posted in a while

2010-02-21T22:53:00.000-08:00

So I have this little offering, a simple link, an exhortation by none other than Spurgeon.

http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2010/02/plea-for-courage-in-defense-of-truth.html

Don't worry. Stuff is happening. I'm still working on things and thinking about things, it just hasn't translated into much to write about at the moment.

Poetry From the Life of Christ--An Excerpt

2010-01-25T14:25:00.000-08:00

Here's one part of a larger poem I'm working on, currently titled "Who is This?" Note that these poems I've written from Christ's life are interpretations that draw heavily from Scripture but also factor in my own imaginative take. Enjoy:

The fishers quailed before the gale
They called to Christ, a humble wail

"Lord save us, ere the lightning strikes
Or waves come drown us, see the might
This pounding, dark, unholy storm
Will swallow us before the morn."

So Christ looked up, with sleepy eyes
And tender care for their poor lives
He stood, as God, with pulsing veins
And called the wind, the sea, the rains:

"Now hear me, all you elements
Be silenced, flee from me, repent.
In future wrath you'll have your time
For now an age of peace is mine."

The bruised disciples, safe but stunned
Could hardly speak, "Who is this One
Who never worries, come what may
Who speaks, and winds and sea obey?"

My Book Review: ONLINE!!!

2010-01-19T16:05:00.000-08:00

Not sure if I've mentioned this on my blog before, but I've been in contact with Titus Gee, editor of Redfence--an online magazine that focuses on all kinds of good new art, especially that which tends to fly under the radar. This includes films, television shows, music, paintings, and, of course, books. Today, I have the opportunity to officially join the Redfence team and post a review of The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell.

You can find the review here: http://www.redfenceproject.com/blog2/textpattern/article/382/book-the-tipping-point-by-malcolm-gladwell

enjoy!

Poetry From the Life of Christ--First Installment

2010-01-05T16:33:00.001-08:00

So I've started reading through Luke, and figured it might be cool, or at the very least a good exercise, to pen some poetry in response to the text and my own meditations. Here is the first, raw and barely edited, based on Luke chapter four:

Wilderness Temptations

Behold the Christ, the Man, alone!
Limbs drip with weakness, footsteps fall
On rock and hill and bramble wild
Two sandals pasted gray with dust
For forty days He has endured
The devil's e'er persistent thrusts
While looking ever heavenward

Indeed, Belial, presses on
And entertains a desperate want
To cause a stain in Jesus' life
Now at the peak of hunger pains
The serpent coils, about to strike
For he has yet temptations three
Prepared in hell's dark furnace flames
To fell the Son of Man today

At first he plays the sycophant
And sees the pain of hungriness:
"If you are God who made the hills,
And turns the planets by Your hand,
Then take these stones I hold for you
And turn them into loaves of bread.
Loaves fresh and warm with sate the hurt
With sustenance that you deserve."

But Jesus turned, and looking down
Did cast the rocks upon the sand,
And brought to bear a sharper blade:
The perfect, mighty, written Word.
"Man shall not live on bread alone.
What need have I to use these stones?"

The stymied devil stumbled back
Yet battled on with new assaults
He grabbed the hand of Christ and flew
Into the sky o'er all the world
A flash in time of precious lands--
Great kingdoms, armies, broken souls.
"I'll give these nations all to You
At nothing but a simple price:
Just bow to me, proclaim my name
Relieve them from imprisonment."

How dastardly the Devil's plan!
All other men would fall, no doubt.
For how could Jesus pass up this:
A chance to miss the future cross
And reign without the blood and strife?
Perhaps His life He would preserve,
But what salvation could he craft
For Adam's seed on judgment day?

Again, He seeks the ancient Word
"You shall worship the Lord your God,
And He alone deserves the praise.
Now hear Me Satan, hear Me now:
I'll please My Father constantly.
My kingdom comes by other means."
And so the pair fell back to earth
A starving King; the lord of flies

The devil's wits remained intact
As he prepared the final shaft
To blackened God's own holy Son.
The jewel city, named by peace
Could be the scene of Christ's disgrace.
Clutching Him, he winged away
And set the Lord upon a spire,
The temple's pinnacle, alone,
Above the lowly cobblestone.

"If you're the Christ," the devil called
"Then jump, and see what God will do.
He said Himself that 'He'd command
His angels on behalf of you'
And 'On their hands they'll bear you up
In case your foot should strike a rock.'"
While in his mind old Satan thought,
"He must bend to my will at last
When challenged by this holy psalm."

Then Jesus spoke, with heart incensed,
"You tempter, you would dare to speak,
Perverting My own holy Words.
Be gone, I say, for Moses wrote:
'You shall not test the Lord your God.'
And even now I do refuse
To heed on poisoned word from You!
In weakened flesh My Spirit still
Will ever stand, and truth prevail!"

As this temptation passed away
The devil took to flight at last
Across the darkened evening sky
To bide his time in twisted thought
Until another chance should come.

Further Thoughts on Christians and Art

2009-12-31T13:34:00.001-08:00

I think there are a few issues that could arise from my previous post that should be addressed for the sake of clarification purposes and a more complete view of the issue.

The main lesson people should take away is the dire need for Christians to pursue excellence in every aspect of their art. If art really is being done for the glory of God, we should not be content to turn out half-baked, low quality, uncreative, cheap, imitations--even if they mention Jesus once or twice. This, I think, captures the root problem with much of Christian art today. Many artists are losing touch with reality and becoming so caught up with getting our "Christian" message across that the quality and originality of the means of communicating this truth is shoved in the backseat. Obviously it is okay, nay, vital to preach Jesus to people and share the gospel through art. What I take issue with is the fact that excellence in one's trade is part of the Christian's personal testimony. Implicit in the command for obedience (and the concept of letting one's "light shine before all men") in the midst of an unbelieving world is the pursuit of excellence. That's what doing all things for the glory of God is about. It's about employees serving their bosses like they were serving the Lord. It's about painters trying to create masterpieces fit for the halls of heaven. It's about musicians making music as if Jesus was in the front row of the audience.

The second question point someone might make arises from secular art. How are we to address masterpieces--brilliant musical compositions, timeless stories, etc.--created by godless heathens? How can we honestly call their art "good" if it was created for completely perverted reasons? The answer, as best I can reason for the time being, is threefold:
1. Art in and of itself is neutral, so we can appreciate when it is done well regardless of the motives, and we can do it whether or not the artist realizes that he is emulating his creator. A professional football player, for instance, may be a godless, selfish jerk. He might even score touchdowns purely for selfish reasons, but that shouldn't stop the Christian football player from appreciating his skill and seeking to emulate the talents he displays on the field.
2. Remember that art is, at its core, imitation. This means that good art will effectively capture reality in some way. Christians are realists--we want to understand things as they really are. Like a good teacher who is an atheist, it is possible to find benefit and appreciation for anything that helps us see the world more clearly for what it is. All truth is God's truth after all, and even though it can be perverted and misused, that doesn't make the claim itself inherently worse. I once heard an analogy comparing the unbelieving world to blind squirrels. Every once in a while, they stumble upon a nut of viable truth. No one is shut off from general revelation, so all men are exposed to and can see the truth to one degree or another.
3. Brilliance in art can give us a glimpse of man before the fall and hence better understand the original goodness of God's creation. Out of the three points, this one is probably the least helpful, but it worth consider nonetheless. Dr. Jack Simons has hypothesized that the fall of creation not only brought sin and suffering into the world, it also damaged our intellect. This means that Adam and Eve were geniuses before the fall, so every instance of genius that we see now--great works of art, people who can multiply huge numbers in their heads, and so on--are actually examples of people breaking through to a certain level of the mind that only existed before sin. In other words, works of genius in the arts are prime examples of my original point about art: man is able to mimic the creative work of God and show us even more vividly the mysterious process that is creating things.

How the Christian Artist Should Approach Art

2009-12-23T16:35:00.000-08:00

subtitled: "My Musings on the True Nature of Art"

One quick disclaimer before I attempt to take off: this post represents a theory in progress; I don't think you can find many of these ideas explicitly in Scripture, but as far as I know they are born out of a Christian worldview; please feel free to question, compliment, and/or criticize.

Art. Perhaps in no other area do Christians have a wider spectrum of perspectives, opinions, and rules. You can paint this subject but not that one, you can watch this movie but not that one, you can listen to this band but not that one. It's worth doing, it isn't worth doing. There are cultural anorexics and cultural gluttons in the body of Christ, and it seems everyone is eager to either exercise freedom to do something or to condemn those who partake in certain types of art. Amid all the blurry lines and opinions, it is odd that no one seems to bother defining exactly what art is. What makes some art better than others? What makes it worth pursuing or shunning? I think the answer is quite simple in concept yet wonderfully complex and beautiful in practice. The chief goal of the artist is to "play God" by creating beautiful works of art reflecting His creativity and genius.

It sounds scary at first thought to think of the artist as "playing God." But I think that is the essence of human creativity. We are made in the image of God, meaning our goal is to serve as a mirror for His glory, and art, no matter how creative or original, is always imitation at its core. When the artist paints a picture, composes a song, or writes a story, he is reflecting the creative nature of God. It doesn't necessarily or definitively say exactly who God is, nor does it replace God. However, when a painter works on a painting, he should be able to say "look, this is what God is like when He creates."

Now obviously we humans are limited first by our mere human intellect and even further than that by our sin. It blinds, restricts, and hampers artistic prowess. Moreover, as created beings ourselves, man as an artist is bound within the medium of creation. All we have is what has already been made. God is the only Being capable of creating ex nihilo--out of nothing. Just like everything else, man is merely a tiny, finite, and blurry picture of God, and he is dependent on God's complete and ultimate sufficiency. Nothing can be made or created by man that is 100% new. "Nothing is new under the sun"Solomon observes. The "stuff" we have now is the same core "stuff" we had at Creation, nothing less and nothing more.

Therefore, the artist is presented with one of the grand tasks of man: to emulate Creator God in his craft. This is a sharp distinction, I think, from any other field or specific calling. The biblical scientist seeks to understand how creation works, the godly businessman is able to provide for the Lord's work via funding and influence in high places, the athlete seeks to maximize the body that God has made in His image and use it to achieve remarkable physical feats, and the pastor is charged with the sacred duty of accurately teaching God's word and giving people a true understanding of God and how to obey Him. Unlike all of these, the artist is something else entirely because he is called to powerfully and practically reflect the creative and sovereign brilliance of God. I say "creative brilliance" in that he should seek to create works of beauty and value. Writers, and perhaps composers to an extent, seem to be further charged with emulating God's "sovereign brilliance." That is, telling a story. This takes into account all of the intricacies of human nature, probability and necessity, morality, and perhaps even fantasy.

Let us consider the art of writing as an example, I may be stretching this just a little, but I think a legitimate argument could be made that there exists a parallel between story telling and God soverignly working his will. The correlation isn't exact, of course, but it seems that storytelling gives us as clear of a picture as any. Think about it. For one, there is a certain set of characters with certain distinct dispositions in a story. God has created a lot of people and knows each one of them perfectly, He knows exactly what they are prone to do, and He somehow intertwines His perfect direction and control with the free will of men. The skilled author, on the other hand, creates His own story with certain characters. He knows them perfectly, and is thus able to guide their actions to eventually lead up to a certain conclusion. If the story is a good one, it fits within the laws of probability and necessity, yet still remains under the author's all-powerful hand.

Now I'm not saying that God is bound by any "probability and necessity" laws, but surely He must remain, for one, consistent with His own character. He also tends to keep reality--the laws of nature in creation and the way we experience things--consistent throughout the unfolding of His grand story in creation. Even more intriguing, we find many examples in scripture of God working out His will through very natural, human, means. It is not as if He forcefully pushes everything right into places, but instead creates and (for lack of a better term) manipulates creation in a way that is consistent with itself and Himself.

Now for the upshot of all this. What does it look like in real life? What can artists everywhere take home and apply from this notion of "playing God." Perhaps there is not much specifically. Our cultural standards for beauty and artistic style change. It's also not necessarily wrong to involve and utilize sinful things in our art. Scripture is full of surprisingly explicit wickedness, so it certainly seems possible for a Christian author to include murder scenes or prostitutes in his book and have that be honoring to God. For the time being, let us distill it all down to two working principles of good art.

One, Scripture should be held as the ultimate example of prime literature in the arts. Dr. Jack Simons has made the observation that were the Bible not true, it would instantly become the greatest work of literature in human history. Everyone who has read the bible critically must recognize, to some degree or another, that it is a work surpassing human genius. When God gave us His word, He gave it in a beautiful form, and it is fair to say that Scripture is perfect even in its artistic aspect. One of the reasons the Bible is the world's bestselling book is probably due to its sheer artistic brilliance. As Christians, we can both accept it as truth and embrace it as good art.

Two, the Christian artist ought to be able to present his or her art to God as an act of worship with a clear conscience. Much of art is a conscience issue. Some artists are more free than others to portray certain things or use certain words, and it's okay because of the freedom we have in Christ. That said, I would challenge all Christian artists to consider this: if Jesus were to come back to earth and stand before you, would you honestly be able to present your painting, song, or story to Him and say without hesitation, "Look Lord, see what I have created for You with the gifts you've given me?"

Jerry Bridges defines doing all things for the glory of God as desiring that everything one does be pleasing to God and that it would honor God before other people. Christian artists must not lose focus of this. They need not worry about the specific content so much as what God thinks of it. Show me the piece that truly pleases God and exults him before men through it, and I will show you a piece of truly good art.

The Beginning of Wisdom

2009-12-13T14:38:00.000-08:00

There's a interesting thing about this whole college experience. The farther and farther along you get, the more you come into contact with professors and students. And the more you come into contact with all of these very smart people, the less and less you realize you know.

It seems the end product of this is, at its core, humility.

Don't mistake this for the postmodern notion of relative truth or the inability to know any sort of ultimate or absolute truth. Rather, diving into the depths of God, reality, and the world we live in definitely brings a lot of hard and fast knowledge, but as you swim deeper and deeper into the sea of God's love, for instance, you start to see that there is whole lot more down there that you still haven't explored.

A wise man once said "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Later on, he wrote about how there is more hope for a fool than a man who is wise in his own eyes. Turns out that the older you get, especially in your relationship with God, the more and more true that becomes.

On Being Thankful

2009-11-26T11:55:00.000-08:00

Just a thought today. I know that God has done so much more for me and given me so much more than I can ever realize. Sadly, knowing that I'll never be able to thank God fully can sometimes lead to a tendency of not wanting to try.

That's so bogus. If this is your temptation too, don't buy into it. Throw yourself into the infinite pool of God's mercies this Thanksgiving Day. After all, if it's something so wonderful that the human mind can't grasp it, I'd say it's worth a try to at least start grasping some of it.

Some more poetry, this time a dramatic monologue

2009-11-19T16:08:00.000-08:00

From East of Nineveh

There’s nothing for me, a broken prophet

To whom death appears much better than life.

Heading to Tarshish or a desert tomb

Is where I’d rather be, instead of spared

To see this city repentant and free.

Perish the thought that I should run from God

That I should try to flee Your sovereign gaze

I knew that You would never turn away

A penitent people, if they sought You

Away at sea You sent a violent gale

My stick came up short, they tossed me over,

And it would have all ended back then

Sinking into the depths, light growing dim

Until your mercy found me in the sea

When the leviathan swallowed me whole

For three days I lay there, as in a grave

In the reeking darkness, weeds, and bones

From the belly I began to suspect

That I might live on. I prayed and confessed

“Your hand is mighty to pull me away

From the errant paths, far outside Your will,”

But these Assyrians, though on their knees

Should drink the bitter cup they themselves brewed.

I’ll freely warn them if they’re to be damned

See why I turned west? I cannot bear it.

How could this great blackened bastion of hate

And violence, greed, lust, stinking things

Find a welcome heart and forgotten crimes.

They, heartless, who would skin me alive,

Men, women, and children alike have died

At the hands of these fell barbarians.

You were supposed to stay with my people

Remember the covenant that you gave?

You once brought we Hebrews out of Egypt

Into fertile lands of milk and honey.

We who offered up sacrifices, true

To you year after year, and kept every

Perfect statute You gave. Can You, in truth,

Compare our worth with those uncircumcised?

So you see why I am angry; I have

All the right to pity this shriveled vine,

Small but beautiful tower of green life,

That once protected me as I waited

Waited for your mighty hand of judgment.

Fire and brimstone would have done the job,

Or the sword of an avenging angel.

There’s nothing for me, a broken prophet

To whom death appears much better than life.

Heading to Tarshish or a desert tomb

Is where I’d rather be, instead of spared

To see this city repentant and free.

I care naught for this senseless deliverance.

Maybe in Sheol I will forget this mess.

Creativity

2009-11-10T15:33:00.001-08:00

The college experience is huge, there are so many things going on at TMC, so much to learn, and so much to experience. These are all good things. Chapel is great, fellowship is great, the local church is beautiful.

But at times like these, when I sit down at my computer to type out whatever is on my mind--whatever I want to write about, there just might be one weakness to The Master's College (besides the pathetic lower-caf hours). It lacks a creative output and an emphasis on creativity in general. We all want to be orthodox. We want to be spot on theologically. We're trying to understand the church, to shun what is bad and emulate what is good. We get involved in activities and try to keep the tradition and truths continuing through the generations. We try to be like Christ, which is a radical self-denial that seeks to copy someone else.

All of these things are good, to be sure, and ought to be pursued. Obviously we should want to be like Christ and want to figure out what He has said in His word. However, I can't help but think that we should be little creators as well. I want to be a writer--an artist. I want to be original and brilliant in my writing for the glory of God. Sometimes, this whole cycle of taking tests, talking about classes, and reading scripture suffocates any thinking beyond a certain point. It doesn't take me to new places or new ideas like it probably should. I've had some great experiences, but praying with a bunch of guys on a whim outside your dorm room isn't exactly an event to build a story around. It's nice to write about theology and the things going on in my mind, but there are men here many times more godly and qualified than I who are already doing that...and doing it very well.

To be sure, there is a certain element of art that Christians (particularly those in charge of institutions, like John MacArthur) fear, and they are right to do so. Trace the arts back in time, and you arrive at the pagan theater of ancient Greece. There's no getting around this, the arts of western civilization may very well have their roots in demonic activities. Why? Because art is magic. It stirs something within our souls. Far from being a mere escape, it makes us feel things. Art possesses a great amount of power in this regard, power to influence people. Through it one is capable of working great evil, or great good. That's where the danger lies. That's why art can be risky.

I know why I'm not seeing a ton of true creativity happening here at TMC. Even though it's certainly not what it could be, it's better than an out-of-whack liberal dump of tolerance and free expression. I love the place, but there are few here that I would describe as genuinely creative. Either that, or perhaps it is a weakness I've created for myself. After all, the college certainly isn't keeping me from writing the next Chronicles of Narnia. It's my own idiocy and naivete.

Perhaps that's really what I need to work to overcome.

One thing leaders must come to grips with

2009-10-11T18:47:00.000-07:00

In the fresh aftermath of Outreach Week, during which I lead a team of eight students to Lighthouse Bible Church in Simi Valley, I'm realizing much about the church and about myself.

Namely, there's a reality about spiritual leadership that one must come to grips with. When you lead, there will be those "under" you who are lots more sanctified than you, in lots of ways. You can't fall into the trap of thinking you're godly, or things will get really frustrating, hard, or depressing...or a mix of those. When that horribly wonderful moment of realization comes, you have to be ready to fall back on Christ, 'cause your own strength sure isn't going to be enough. I mean, it's not like you can just will yourself to knock on a door to invite someone to church, or convince yourself by your own fleshly means that you need to show love to someone.

So it's not so much that I have regrets about my actions as it is regrets about my perspective and attitude over the whole thing. Christ certainly wasn't at the forefront of my thoughts like He should have been. Leading doesn't make you one iota better or worse than anyone else, you just have to be willing to be an example and take the blame.

gods they could control

2009-09-27T09:08:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, I made the rare choice to go to Saturday night church at Grace Baptist with some friends from school. The worship and message by David Hegg were great: it was good to be reminded of God's promises and character, and to see the faith of Abram. However, there was one, almost offhanded, phrase that Pastor Hegg offered in his sermon that really made me see something in a new perspective. When speaking of the Caananites in Abraham's day, he spoke of the "gods they could control."

Gods they could control. The more I thought about that, the more I realized the dangerous problem with almost every (if not all) false religion or philosophy out there. The pagans of the Ancient Near East had gods they could control. They were always pressed to manipulate or please their gods by manner of some ritual or sacrifice. When they did it, the god must inevitably respond in a certain way. They taught that the gods were powerful, but it was actually they who could turn the gods to and fro as they willed.

Kind of shoots down the health and wealth gospel, doesn't it? Send in a one-time gift and God will bless you ten-fold! How controlling and manipulative of God is that? It is just like man to fashion a god of his own making that he could control. In fact, it makes perfect sense why many beliefs have moved away from the God of scripture and towards faith in a being that we can have some control over. Sacrifice to make him do this, pray this prayer and he will do that, yadda yadda yadda.

And the more you think about it, the more it should really make you glad that God doesn't answer all of our prayers just as we pray them. Should we actually want God to submit Himself to any and every specific prayer that we pray "in faith?" He is so much bigger and better than that. The God of the bible has no need to subject Himself to our prayers or sacrifices. It goes against all of human nature to invent a God that humbles and works above human thinking like no other, yet that is what scripture presents us with. I see no reason why He can't be real, because no one would have wanted to create a God of infinite mystery, wisdom, and power that we could have no controlling effect over.

Praise God that He doesn't submit Himself in any ways to His creation unless He is working out a plan all of His own.

Some poetry I've written for a class...enjoy!

2009-09-18T20:15:00.000-07:00

Summer

I thought my plans would change me for the good
But memories came soon to take their due
The graduation stages called, "Do not
Forget the days you lived and worked for fun!"
I see the sun come up and days grow long
A "little sleep" and "folding of the hands"
And I become a lesser man. Pick up
A friend and throw the disk. Another time
For work will do. So click and click, tick-tock
Tick-tock, and evenings free fade out. They're gone
My spirit longed for profit. Sloth has set
The tone for all my days at home. I dig
Through mediocre games. Can I relight
Their spark and fan the flames of former days?
Put off the hard and we'll relive the nights
Of chance and vic'try, cards and dice, and more.
Thus enter months of wasting, two or three.
But grace remains and calls me back to where
My heart caught fire. What can I say except
That apathy has torn away what could
Have been my finest hour--a time of truth
And beauty for my King.

Life Observation

2009-09-12T13:19:00.000-07:00

There are a few things in life that I doubt will ever get old, and I mean that in a very carnal, non-spiritual way. I speak of those things in life that are just plain awesome every time you experience them. They are few and far between, for sure, as even the most fun video game and even one's best friend can become boring or downright annoying.

As of now, two simple pleasures of life that have stood the test of time without flaw thus far are ultimate frisbee and sweet tea. I cannot recall a time in life nor conceive of myself ever getting sick or bored with either of these. Ultimate, perhaps the most perfect "college-kid" sport that will ever be invented in this world. Sweet tea, a simple but wondrously delightful beverage that remains far from delicacy status but never wears down on the taste buds for some reason.

Ah yes, the simple pleasures in life...

The Calm Before the Storm

2009-08-30T23:53:00.000-07:00

It is approaching midnight as I write this. The caffeine from a Coke keeps me awake and alert. Classes start tomorrow.

As cliche as it sounds, it really is a brief calm before the storm for me. I suspect that for the rest of the semester not a night will go by without leaving plenty of homework and stress in it's wake. Countless thoughts flurry about in my mind. WOW was only kid stuff, just some fun to get people acclimated to the college environment. Now it's game time--time for the rubber to meet the road. The wing looks fantastic. Lots of great guys, plenty of good times to look forward to, I've just finished a great talk with my friend and Resident Assistant. A substantial amount of pretty girls have joined the ranks of TMC students. Three Communication classes and a sweet bible class promise a good year in the classroom.

Doubt. Apprehension. Relationships. Encouragement. Conviction. Despair. The gospel.

Heavy issues, but we're made for them, right? The flesh wants hours of Facebook and mediocre friendships, but grace is always sufficient. Let us pray that continuing measures of it are on the horizon. I will candidly admit to anyone that I don't have this whole leadership thing down yet. It's hard to imagine that God would put me in a position like this. I hardly know the first thing about anything, but here I am on Slight Lower-Back with new converts, music majors, athletes, and more. All one can do is pray at this point: "God I'm a loser and a failure, I'm clueless, help. Honestly Lord, please help!"

A Switchfoot song reminded me today to keep a heavenly perspective. I do belong somewhere past this setting sun, finally free, finally strong. Still, that only increases the urgency of the situation. I'll only go through this process two more times at most. Before I know it I'll be graduating, the world before me, then hopefully family and work, and then the end--just like that.

So now is the time to "throw it down." I may only have one or two more years with these guys. Even in seemingly distant things like marriage, I need to start preparing my heart and lifestyle today, because if there's one thing I learned in church today, it's that I still have a long way to go before I become a true man in God's eyes. Titus 2:6 talks about young men being self-controlled. Not quite as simple to master as some might think.

Could I be a trendsetter? Could I be the guy that starts something or guides something in the right direction in Slight Hall this year? The guy that people come to with problems even if I've never had a girlfriend? That's not for me to decide, but I'm gonna try.

And knowing myself, I'm going to fail, and I'm going to lean on God's grace more and more as a result. I'll probably make a fool of myself, and end up in an awkward situation or two, and say stupid things to people. The quest has been set before me, and there's no turning back. Still, our swords are so sharp, and the gospel is so awesome. It's a pity I forget about them so often.

Maybe someone will enjoy reading this. I haven't proofread it yet so please forgive any typos and/or nonsensical rambling.

WOW thoughts

2009-08-21T16:42:00.001-07:00

For starters, I'm an ARA (Assistant Resident Assistant, yes that's what it means) in Slight Hall this year at The Master's College, and I've come back a few weeks early for Week of Welcome--hereafter to be referred to as WOW--which is the time when new students are welcomed to the school.

It's really an interesting phenomenon when you get several hundred people together who have never even seen each other before. There's the inevitable social animals who make themselves right at home. There's the one's who develop into a little clique and hang out with the same people all week. There's the loners who are off by themselves just being shy or selfish or hateful or something. And then there's the ones who don't really know how to start a conversation with anybody, but they hang around any person they know even somewhat well.

I was one of these last people, and it's really interesting to see, personally, how I've changed in the past year. The perspective from this side of WOW is much different than the receiving end because now, I understand that the key is to meet lots of people--to just turn around to some random person behind you in line and say "hi." It is not all that difficult either, as long as one approaches it with the proper perspective. I do suppose, after all, that the pressure to impress people and actually make new friends is significantly smaller as an student leader because of returning friends and staff members that you already know.

Then, of course, we have the WOW group, a mysterious conglomeration of random people who get to hang out for a week. This is perhaps the most hit and miss element of WOW. My groups last year and this year have been fantastic. The new students in my group this year hit it off on all cylinders as well, or better, than expected. The one "jock" isn't too cool for the rest of us, and the one really weird kid, you know, that really strange one, manages to fit in with everyone somehow, even adding some timely humor and funny discussions.

But even with all the fun times and new people that I met, the whole SLS experience managed to humble me significantly. Thinking you can serve and love people all the time is one thing. Living it out at 7:00 in the morning after having less than six hours of sleep per night for the past week is another matter entirely. Paul says that the spirit is willing and the flesh weak, but sometimes it feels like both of them are pathetic.

The fact of the matter is this: I'm still new at this whole "leadership" thing. Stepping up and providing direction and enjoyment for a group of seven people that I barely know doesn't come naturally to me. As much as I'd like to be that guy who knows how to smoothly and consistently interact with people while remaining organized and on top of the week's activities, I'm not, and I cannot be...

But that's where grace comes in. God never promises us as believers that we will not fail--else I'd fear the security of my salvation--but He does say that His grace is sufficient. That's the bottom line. I jack things up over and over again. I do irresponsible things. I act harshly or rudely to someone. Even after all of these stupid and selfish things, I still have Christ. The reality and importance of the gospel, even today, cannot, must not, be forgotten. So you messed up and shamed the name of Christ, you'll learn, you'll get better, God will be glorified one way or the other because He is bigger and stronger than a week of six hour nights and awkward situations. I'm reminded of the lyrics to one of the songs we sang this week:

You are stronger
You are stronger
Sin is broken
You have saved me
It is written
Christ is risen
Jesus You are Lord of all

Can I get an "amen?"

Random Thought

2009-08-13T16:07:00.000-07:00

As I was reading the scriptures the other day, a strange hypothetical occurred to me:

If Switchfoot were a book of the bible, they'd be Ecclesiastes.

Those Calvinists...

2009-07-13T12:28:00.000-07:00

Of which I am one. I've been thinking about all the responses to the local "hit" film, Seeds.

Watch that film, and I don't think it's hard to tell that the main message has strong Calvinist and Reformed theological leanings.

"You can only plant the seeds, whether they grow or not is up to God." That's about as Reformed as it gets.

Yet, despite that fact that many Arminian folks have likely seen Seeds, no one seems to have a problem with that. No arguing that people should be free to accept or reject God. No problem with God having the choice to save some and not others. Nope. All I've heard is "great movie," "that was hilarious," and the occasional "good/great message, I really appreciated that."

Upon some thought, and given several months of hindsight, I'm starting to think that maybe most Christians are really more sympathetic to the Calvinist (and biblical) theology of salvation that they'd care to admit. Maybe the Calvinist tag is a turn off to some, but something tells me it's more than that. That deep down inside, the Holy Spirit is urging all Christians to acknowledge the all-powerful sovereignty of God and give all glory to Him. This urging is especially strong in the realm of salvation. We don't like the idea of man being dead in his sins, but it's even harder to reject the idea that God doesn't have (or at least doesn't exercise) the power to save sinners when and how He chooses. We really want to think that we have a say in our salvation, but the thought that our salvation might be insecure based on our will is terrifying.

In the end, of course, it all comes down to scripture, and therein lies the strongest aspect of the theology of Seeds. "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who waters or he who plants is anything, but God who gives the growth." You can't argue with the clear teaching of God's word, and this passage is pretty darn clear. I honestly can't see how the Arminian would respond to Seeds, even though it's quite simple and straightforward. Come on Christians, we don't choose to be saved. We are incapable of doing so, but God isn't. He is the one who made a way of salvation, the one who chose us before the foundation of the world, and the one who shapes and remakes our wills as He draws us to a relationship with Him.

Like it or not, that's the truth, and that's what I tried to capture in our screenplay.

The Beach: an essay

2009-06-15T10:48:00.000-07:00

I recently spent several days camping at Carpenteria Beach--that's Southern California for those who don't know. I spent a lot of time thinking and reminiscing. The beach in general has never played a huge role in my life, but it does hold a significant place in my thinking. My mind wandered as I drove back to Bakersfield, one of the most nondescript cities in the United States, and I realized for the hundredth time: there's something special about the beach.

Not any one specific beach or area of coastland, mind you. The beach. It is the beginning and ending of a thousand voyages. The subject of countless songs and legends. The ideal romantic getaway. Full of beauty, power, danger, and mystery. Men have bled and died for even a few hundred yards of this razor strip running all over the world, yet it is home to so much. Where would we be, where would our lives be, I wonder, without that crucial meeting point of the sea and land, that bridge between the two great worlds, that springboard from reality to fantasy?

As I was hiking along the bluffs of Carpenteria, I came across a tree. Now this tree possessed nothing tangibly outstanding. No leaves graced it's gnarled bows as it stretched it's few tired gray limbs to the sky. It looked scarred and beaten. Surely it had endured all manner of winds, rain, lightning strikes, and flames. Nevertheless, it was awesome. I wondered at the things it had seen--the gradual smoothing of the rocks below, the migration of whales and seals, the construction of the oil rigs which now dotted the horizon, perhaps the occasional couple or troubled soul who sought the privacy of the beach below. Standing alone for hundreds of yards in every direction, it stood like a lone sentinel watching over the rocks, sand, and sea creatures below. Only one green branch that sagged near the ground sustained this sage of the coast, and it did nothing to detract from the rickety crown adorned only by the nest of a lone black bird.

Years ago, when I took art classes, I would have spent weeks capturing a tree like this with my pastels. If I ever wrote a book about the sea, I would find no shame in gracing the cover with an image of this tree. There could be a treasure, or some secret message, the key to a life-changing discovery, under it for all I knew. In any half-decent story about this tree, there would have been. Should I grow up to be a filmmaker or writer, I may return to that tree to shoot a closing scene or seek inspiration. A fitting deed, I think. Something to immortalize this unsung wonder of nature. Surely its story is one worth remembering.

In hindsight as the bustle and distractions of summer sink over me, I find myself fighting the reality of the matter. It is no more than tree. One of thousands--perhaps millions--of it's kind, and a pathetic one at that.

Over the years, the beach has come to mean different things to me as I have gradually fallen in love with it. First it was the simple joys of the waves and sand. I would run out towards the ocean and then back to the higher ground as the last swell came in after my feet. The ocean was cold and always threatened to knock me off my feet. I could dig in the sand all day, a poor medium but one in infinite supply, and never grow disheartened or bored.

Later on, the waves became little more than afterthoughts as the local wildlife became of supreme interest. I recall a brief excursion on a medium-sized boat where a net was let down to drag up all manner of ocean dwelling life forms like flat fish with two eyes on the same side of their head, starfish, and even several stingrays. I was only too gland to handle the creatures, especially the pancake sized rays that fit even into my child's hands. On a different trip, I spent hours crawling over human-deposited rocks in search of crabs and starfish. It posed quite the challenge. The green-brown crabs, no bigger than my hand, sped across the rocks and managed to wedge themselves into crags of rock so think that even my fearless, prying fingers could no squeeze into. I eventually caught one of these foreign creatures, and recall once running back to my family, screaming at the top of my lungs, with a severed crab's pincer clamped on my finger.

Next came boogie boarding and ultimate frisbee. Back then, boogie boarding required skill, skill that I seemed to naturally possess. Suddenly, the waves were paramount. Long minutes would pass in waist-deep freezing salt-water before anything worth riding emerged from far offshore. If you finally caught a big one, relish it, ride it, take it all the way to the sand. Well done, now go do it again. Even Ultimate--a miserable sport to play given the wind and noticable slope of the beach--managed to produce more entertainment on the coast than anywhere else.

Today, I still enjoy being teased by the waves, searching for crabs, and throwing a frisbee through the fresh salt air, but the wonder has grown much greater. The endlessly crashing waters--blue-gray under the oft-cloudy sky--the giant stained rocks standing defiant against the elements, the rocky sand extending to my right and left for miles, and of course, the infinite horizon. They say the world is shrinking, but when I stand out on the wave-swept sands and stare out to sea, I feel smaller even though nothing has really changed. Maybe, just maybe, the coast has always been the same, and I'm the one growing.

That tree was small, yet huge, all at the same time. I've never been able to stop any of those waves, waves which contain an entirely new world of creatures underneath them. And even on my best day of frisbee, the wind still holds the final say. Indeed I could play the warrior in an ancient epic on these shores or sprout wings and fly inches above the white-topped crests, but I've never been a king of these lands. No man has.

And no man ever will.

Expectations

2009-06-09T09:36:00.000-07:00

I came across this little quote of"Once we have satisfied the minimum requirements, we tend to stop pushing ourselves." And I don't know if truer, more applicable, words have ever been spoken outside of Scripture.

The statement is particularly relevant in today's context, especially the context of the 21st century American teenager. Credit Alex and Brett Harris--no surprise there--for making the observation. This statement is, in one very real sense, the very essence of my life. I meet the minimum specifications necessary to be considered "smart," "diligent," or "responsible," and stop there. This is particularly evident in the academic sphere. In a music and art class last semester, for instance, the instructor dropped one's lowest test score. After acing the first four exams, I didn't take the test or even study the material. In fact, I skipped the last two weeks of class because I had free misses that I could take without penalty. And guess what, everyone respected me for that and patted me on the back for "finishing" a class up a week early. This took place at a Christian college with fairly high academic standards.

Please don't get me wrong here. I'm not condemning my college or my friends at college. There's nothing wrong with rewarding hard work with a little slack at the end of the semester. The problem is this. The class was a piece of cake. It was not hard to meet the minimum expectations for the course, yet I still slacked off. Even after learning so little, I still slacked off on the end. . .probably so I could play more ultimate frisbee while maintaining a normal sleep pattern.

Do not dismiss me. This is no isolated incident. Our education system, our entire nation for that matter, is falling apart because we and our fathers have set low expectations for ourselves. I'm gearing up for a rant on this later, but we'll leave it at that for now.

This principle extends further, I believe, into the spiritual realm as well. The minimum standards for "holiness" (empahsis on those quotation marks) are pretty pitiful. Don't drink, don't smoke, go to church once or twice a week, and wait until marriage to have sex. Just like that, you stand out from the world and become a "good" Christian. Our society has become so depraved. It is not hard to be counter-cultural in some degree. Even gray contrasts with black.

But why are we content to be merely gray. Why are we Christians not shining white lights?

Could it be the low moral expectations we set for ourselves? Are our standards of holiness judged by the character of God or merely set a notch of two above the sinful world around us? We talk a lot about doing radical things for Jesus. Okay, so what does it mean to be "radical?"

"Walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called." I have tried to meditate on that many times. The cross is the most radical, amazing, counter-human-nature thing ever to happen. How big, how pure, how beautiful, is the gospel--the message that saved us?

Pretty sinking huge, even infinite. That, my Christian friend, is our standard. Our calling goes beyond anything this world could produce, for we are servants of the living God. Are those standards high enough? Will that keep you working like no other to walk worthy?

It better, because no other standard will.

A Word on the Murder of Abortionists

2009-06-03T10:50:00.000-07:00

Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,
and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles,
lest the Lord see it and be displeased,
and turn away his anger from him.

--Proverbs 24:17,18 (ESV)

Star Trek Review

2009-05-31T21:17:00.000-07:00

One would have to be a cultural hermit to be unaware of the flurry of discussion, reviews, and hype generated by the recent release of Star Trek. J.J. Abrams’ new spin on a story that many feel has already been beaten to death—and then beaten to death again—certainly brings a new perspective to this popular saga, offering something for both old fans of the series and newcomers. He stays true to the original characters yet takes enough liberties to produce something for both diehard fans and new audiences.

At least, that’s what I hear.

I think it’s safe to say that I find myself in the minority of viewers, and perhaps even alone among reviewers, in that I know next to nothing about the science-fiction greatness that is Star Trek. Indeed, the question is a fair one to ask by those contemplating a trip to the theater to see this film: what about those who are not fans of the original series and do not know the Star Trek universe? What should they expect, and will they even enjoy a film like this?

Apart from a small amount of back-story that is rather easy to pick up on, Star Trek stands alone as its own film quite well if you can track with a time-traveling villain, understand his motives for destroying entire planets, and accept that two of the same person can exist at the same time. The plot, which borders on an overly complex series of events that could potentially be stretched into its own TV mini-series, is not too difficult to follow. As long as viewers are willing to suspend their disbelief enough to accept Abrams’ galaxy of the distant future, there is much here to like. Ironically, perhaps the greatest strength of this film in relation to the rest of the Star Trek story is that it is a prequel. As a result, every aspect of the film is intended to feel fresh and original, and it accomplishes this quite well. You do not need to meet the classic characters—Kirk, Spock, Bones, Ahura, and Scotty—in advance because the film picks up at their origins and creates their background for you. Better yet, the characters are strong and distinct, and we quickly find ourselves emotionally engaged in their struggles and goals. The academic and always logical Spock faces an identity crisis as he wrestles constantly with being half human and half Vulcan (an alien race), for underneath his unflinching visage and academic language run deep currents of raw emotion—emotion that he must decide to either suppress or embrace. Kirk, whose father sacrificed his life to save him, decides to channel his roguish talents of stealing cars and seducing women into becoming the captain of his own starship. Bones overcomes a recent divorce and fear of space to make a name for himself as a doctor with Starfleet. And when we first meet Scotty, he is a crazy theorist stranded at a frozen outpost, downcast and rejected even though he went on to discover a formula for beaming that makes him an invaluable crew member.

From a film standpoint, we find little that is groundbreaking in Star Trek. Fans of Star Wars have already seen the planet-destroying weapon, warp speed, and ice planet. The plot suffers occasionally from predictability; one scene in particular finds Kirk beaming up to his ship a split second before he would have hit the ground in a fatal fall. Nevertheless, the combination works by creating an understandable story in a foreign universe, unique characters whose complications are sufficiently resolved, and beautiful cinematography in a colorful outer space.

If there is anything groundbreaking in this film, it is the ill-timed glares that Abrams somehow saw fit to use. There is plenty of eye candy, including vast pan shots across the hull of the Enterprise, black holes devouring planets, and lasers and explosions galore. Sometimes, however, the audience only wants to clearly and simply see what is on the screen. Kirk looks out into space from the Enterprise, only to have his face washed out in the backlight. Spock glances at a control panel, about to make a “logical” observation, when suddenly a brightness from behind washes out his stolid face. No matter how you look at it, the glares are unwelcome. Abrams allegedly justifies this by trying to show that the future literally is looking bright for humanity. Would we like to think this after watching Star Trek? Perhaps, but the idea seems to be sufficiently conveyed in the images of a vast space station orbiting earth and a giant space ship under construction in the corn fields in Iowa.

In the end, Star Trek accomplishes what appears to be its only goal, and that is to entertain via characters, plot, and explosions. Fear not, you who know nothing of Scotty’s beaming skills or the Vulcan ways, and abandon your pre-conceived notions of geekiness and confusion. You just might find some genuine quality and art underneath this latest sci-fi flick.

P.S. Sorry it's been so long, but now that summer is here I'll try to be more active in my blogging.

please be patient folks

2009-04-03T00:03:00.001-07:00

I know I haven't posted in quite awhile, but the truth is that I just haven't had a whole lot to write about recently (or have been writing a ton for other classes and nothing creative is coming at the moment).

In any case, I should have something up tomorrow or the day after, depending on how the critiquing session goes tomorrow.

Upon Introspection

2009-03-22T00:18:00.000-07:00

It just blows my mind to think that God loves me and actually chooses to uses me.

Thoughts from the Christian Youth Film Festival

2009-03-10T18:41:00.000-07:00

It is my pleasure to announce that Seeds--a film in which four friends and I wrote, filmed, acted in, edited, and produced--won Best Picture at the Christian Youth Film Festival Sunday night. In addition to this award and its $543 cash prize, Seeds also captured the distinctions of Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay, and People's Choice Award. Naturally, we were pretty excited about our success. It was great to see weeks of brainstorming and preparation, four days in the desert, and hours upon hours of editing finally come to fruition. But as I look back the event, my expectations beforehand, my actions at the event, my attitudes afterward, I found pride, and lots of it.

Lately, my small group at college has been talking about prayer and about what real, heartfelt, caring prayer requests and prayers themselves should look like. One thing that immediately came to light is how you respond when someone asks how he can be praying for you. Often, it seems, we pause in thought for a moment, then respond, "pride."

Right, everyone struggles with pride. It's easy to say "yeah, I've been thinking I'm really something special. I haven't put God first as I should." No, of course you haven't, so where's the risk in that. Is pride really what keeps you up all night? Have you been going through a particularly prideful spell? Do you always pray that God would take away your pride? Maybe you do, and that's great, but the point we tried to make in small groups is that oftentimes "pride" goes up as a smokescreen, to disguise what we really are struggling with: things like sexual lust, gossip, hatred, or gluttony. I think that is a great point, everyone can say they're struggling with pride, there's no risk in saying that to anyone. It's much harder to say "Look, I'm having a hard time loving that guy," than, "Yeah I've been 'struggling' with pride."

The point of this post, though, is that pride is real, and it can be a dangerous issue because it manages to worm its way into almost everything. After all, it is ultimately from pride that all sin stems, from the desire to be in God's place and actually be worshiped ourselves. It never ceases to amaze me how, even at a Christian film festival where everyone will admit that these films really are for God's glory, pride is always there to sneak in. You're sitting there repeatedly saying to yourself, "This is all about God, this is all about God, I couldn't have made this film without Him." When in the back of your mind you start to wonder, "Hmmm, why didn't he or she give me a compliment on my film? I only made the best movie this festival's ever seen! Goodness, we better win that award."

In light of the film festival, pride will no longer be a smokescreen when I ask someone to pray for me. It's a horrible vice that clouds my thinking and grossly defames the Sovereign Creator of the universe. The thoughts that I actually generated something of worth on my own or that I actually deserve something are wicked absurdities, and when those thoughts pry their way to the forefront of my mind, I can only sigh, shake my head, and ask God's forgiveness. Praise Jesus Christ that he died not only for the big things, but all that pride as well.

The Last, the Lost, the Least: Part Four

2009-03-01T19:56:00.001-08:00

For the rest of this series, go to part one, part two, or part three.

His image shown where we give our lives, our time, our own to feed, to clothe those in His image we have left alone. We all, we all wear dignity. God help the blind like me. Finding at last a voice we cry and see with clear, unblinking eyes.

The last organized activity of the week featured a walk to MacArthur Park. We started off midway through the morning, headed—thank goodness—in the opposite direction down Pico Street that Tony had driven us. I left my sleeping bag back on the church, betting on the chance that Jon would decided to end the poverty simulation before nightfall. I ran my hand through my greasy hair and patted my empty stomach, only partially satisfied by the bowl of Fruit Loops a few hours ago. He’d better end it soon.

When we arrived at the park, Jon sat everyone down and spoke of the city. In the bible, the city is portrayed as a place of refuge and safety. Clearly, this is how God intended people to live together. After all, heaven, God’s very dwelling place, is a city. I thought of all the news stories we hear about Los Angeles. Over on the sidewalk, a homeless man peddled his bike. This park used to be the drug capital of the city, so Jon had warned us to watch were we sat. How could things have gone so wrong in this place? Why are all the seminary grads going to small town churches in the Midwest? Why do we so quickly brush off the inner city? I shifted uncomfortably as Jon detailed our final task: to walk around the park and talk to people. Everyone divided into twos and threes, and we split up. Lee, my companion, was a heavyset freshman from Colorado. Neither of us spoke acceptable Spanish, and neither of us possessed exceptional social skills. We walked around the park silently, sizing up the various people seated around the dirty lake in the middle of the park. Other groups of students had started talking to people. My heart began pounding out of my chest and my mind went blank. I tried to quickly formulate a few conversation starters in my mind. “God, I don’t want to do this, I can’t. Please, help me.” A middle aged Hispanic woman—everyone was Hispanic—sat alone under a tree on our left. I nudged Lee, “What about her?”

“Okay,” he murmured. I tried to put on my most innocent and disarming face as we sat down next to the woman.

“Hi there, can we sit here and talk to you for a few minutes?”

“No English.”

“Oh,” I sat for several lengthy seconds, vainly attempting to recall something from my three years of high school Spanish.

“No hablo mucho espanol…Adios.” We stood up abruptly continued on, walking slowly along the edge of the pond for several minutes before I pointed out another person, this time a man who appeared to be in his twenties.

“May we sit here?” He nodded.

“So,” I began, “um, you from around here?”

“No speak English.”

“Hmm.” This time we waited for a minute or two, staring out across the park, before getting up and moving on. Three more times, Lee and I tried to engage people, but we faltered at the insurmountable language barrier before firing a proverbial shot. Did anyone speak English here?

Dejected, we eventually wandered back to the group’s meeting place. “God, I tried. I really did. Can You ask more than that? I accomplished nothing!” I tried to throw myself into His arms and rest in His sovereignty as the other students gradually strayed back, “No Lord, you don’t ask more, and you don’t need results. All you ask is that I show some love to these people.”

The walk back to the church took too long, and I pondered the day’s events as everyone around me talked about all the great experiences they had. “I want You to use me God. I won’t look at the poor the same way again.” The more I looked at the situation inside myself, the less room I found for depression and self-pity. “Somehow, someway, You used me this week, and You’ll use me again.” I had come face to face with reality today, and resolved not to forget it.

My mouth watered in anticipation as I surveyed the backyard of the Nehemiah House. Just a few minutes ago, Jon Freiberg had officially terminated the poverty simulation. Forty or so chairs sat around five or six tables in the middle of the lawn, enough to seat our entire group and the house’s residents. To my right, everyone had begun to line up behind a table crowded with carne asada, beans, rice, salsa, and tortillas. Some had already made it through the line and were crossing over to the drink table, where several sodas and an ice bucket rested in a beautiful array. Just a few feet away from this, Jon Freiburg stood behind the barbecue, flipping several pieces of thinly cut steak. The smell drifted over the lawn, teasing those who had not yet gotten their food. I could hardly stand it. Two solid meals over the past two days had taken their toll, and while not physically starving, I was hungry. I fumbled with my plate and utensils in my haste to pile on the delicious food. Beans splattered across my plate and rice fell down on to the table. I grabbed one of the pieces of meat from my steaming heap and shoved it my mouth, filled a cup nearly to the brim with orange soda, and sat down at a table across from Peter. I paused for a moment in reverence and thankfulness,

“A fitting exclamation point to the week!” I grasped a tortilla, carne asada, beans and rice spilling out both sides in torrents, and shoved it in my face. As the meal progressed, we tried vainly to capture the experience with words,

“Absolutely amazing.”

“Mmmmm…wow. I mean it’s just…wow.”

“Later generations will sing of this meal someday.”

Half an hour later, I leaned back in my chair and moaned. “Not only will I never look at the homeless the same again,” I thought, “but I’ll never look at food the same again. I guess it really is true that you never know what you have until it’s gone.” I glanced at the students seated around me—Peter, TJ, Marcus, Lee, and the others. A bond had been forged between us, something almost supernatural, perhaps the first strands of a cord that would be finished in heaven.

Despite the cold, my mind drifted over the past week, gradually returning to the present meal and moving on into the future. The normalcy that was The Master’s College stood as a banner of comfort, security, and good against the background of no showers, Hispanics, and empty stomachs. “Friends, warm dorm rooms, challenging classes, my ‘real’ life…it’ll be nice to get back to that…” I opened my eyes and stared at Jon as he closed the barbeque and started cleaning up. A solid education from Master’s, and he had come to spend the rest of his life here. Images of Ike and the fat little boy at 12^th Place appeared in my mind. “No, Master’s isn’t real life for me. This is real life. The past three days was the world—all the brokenness, ugliness, oppression, and ungodliness that the United States had to offer.” I thought of the way people had looked at me on the street, of reading a book to an innocent little child, of tossing and turning on cardboard all night, of the young man on the park bench who spoke no English. I couldn’t just walk away from all that and get my degree. They needed love and grace every bit as much as I did, and that was the only difference between us. I sighed, searching for something appealing, for joy, for a steady stream of compassion and love. “God, please give me Your grace, I want to love these people…I…I do love these people, and I can’t go on living like this.” Several long days had passed, but I could finally see my world beginning to turn upside-down. No, there would be no going back now. The song I had listened to before the start of the trip began to play in the back of my mind. Yes, the very image of God shines in these people—however marred and clouded it may be—in even the last, the lost, the least.

The Last, the Lost, the Least: Part Three

2009-02-21T23:06:00.001-08:00

For the start of this series, go to Part One or Part Two.

Step into a spacious place where pride and right will give way to the least of these to know the face of who a man can be.

I woke to the sound of voices and footsteps. Someone had turned on the light in the sanctuary, but it still looked dark outside. Rubbing my eyes, I groped for my cell phone and flipped it open—four fifteen! I stood up and stumbled toward the middle of the building where several guys had gathered.

“Hey, what’s going on?”

John Freiburg, the assistant pastor at First EV Free, walked in the door.

“Come on guys, get up! We’re going on a little field trip.”

“Field trip?” I thought, “What? It’s four in the morning!” Gradually, people began to dress and make their way outside, so I changed my pants, donned a hat and sweater, and headed out to where cars had started to line up.

“You’re going to be driving around Los Angeles.” I heard John addressing several students on the sidewalk, “You won’t have to worry much about traffic. Just follow the instructions on your paper. Think about the situation there, and spend some time praying there.”

I groggily stumbled into the last car with an open seat, full of three girls as providence would have it. In a few moments, we were speeding down the 110, headed even deeper into the city.

I glanced out the window warily, a mix of fear, apprehension, and repulsion in my face. To our left and behind us stretched Skid Row—several blocks of downtown Lost Angeles set apart as a place for the homeless, insane, and outcasts. Here lived the dregs of society, and here came the regiments of The Master’s College First EV Free outreach team. The paper instructed us to get out, walk around, and pray and talk with people. Everyone in the car stared out the window at the dark and mysterious street, hesitant to get out. People trudged along the sidewalk in various directions, void of any urgency or purpose; others sat on the curb and smoked. Most were black, and dressed in a hodgepodge assortment of dirty clothing: sweatshirts, beanies, old tennis shoes, frayed pants, even a leather jacket once in a while. Their faces looked blank and empty, staring towards the ground or out into space.

“Do we really need to get out?” Kammy, the girl next to me, asked.

“I don’t know, why don’t we just pray?” Offered the girl driving, “Wait, look!” Kat’s group had parked near us and started crossing the street. We sprung out of the car and called out to them.

“Hey, can we join you guys?”

“Well, it’s better with smaller groups,” Kat replied, “but come on.” She led us to the curb opposite where we had parked. A black man with short hair and a scraggly goatee stood there, wringing his hands and staring out across the street.

“Hey there,” Kat said, “how are you doing sir?” The man turned as if seeing us for the first time, then broke into what I assumed was a smile.

“Well I’s doing just fine, thank you. You here to give me stuff or convert me or something?”

“No,” she answered, “We’re just here talking to people. I’m Kat.”

“Ike, nice to meet you.” he said simply, shaking her hand, and we all introduced ourselves to him.

“Do you sing?” The question caught us off guard. Kat looked around at us, smiling shyly.

“What do you guys think? We can certainly try. What should we sing?”

“Uh, amazing grace?” TJ, who had been in Kat’s car, offered hesitantly. Enough of us seemed to know it, so we circled around the man and started singing a cappella, quietly at first, but growing in confidence.

“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me…” Ike closed his eyes and raised his hands, swaying gently with our off-key voices. We made it through the first verse well enough, but started fading out after “Twas grace that taught my heart to fear.” No one could remember the exact lyrics. I thought I knew them, but had no intention of carrying on solo. As our voices stopped gracelessly, Ike took off his glasses and wiped his eyes.

“That was beautiful. You know these past weeks been difficult for me, being sick, no job.” I could only stand there like a statue, listening as he started to pour out his life to us, and trying to bring some form of comfort through my presence.

“Would you like to pray together?” Kat asked after several minutes,

“Yes please.” Ike raised his head up to heave and held his hands up. “Oh mighty father, we come before you now, humble, Lord. We come to ask for forgiveness, because of Jesus Christ…” I listened to his words as best as I could. The prayer was actually pretty solid, but I couldn’t help but question the legitimacy of his faith. Did God even hear and heed the prayers of a rebel like Ike? Was the Holy Spirit present in anyone here but our little group?

Eventually we left Ike with a blessing and moved on down the block towards a line of people waiting for some kind of medical assistance from a local rescue mission. Within minutes, Kat struck up another conversation, this time talking to a white man with a ponytail and baseball cap. A few feet away, TJ had also started speaking with a grizzled old man with glasses. I stood close to Kat, silently trying to take in my surroundings while keeping up with the conversation. The place reeked of urine, alcohol, body odor, and cigarettes, only narrowly failing to merit the adjective: “overpowering.”

“You should come to our church sometime,” Kat was saying.

“Eh, what kind of church is it? Methodist, catholic, protestant, Lutheran?”

“It’s, an evangelical free church, that’s a protestant domination.”

The man paused in thought, then started musing, “Catholic, evangelical, even mormon or Buddhist. I don’t know why people get so uptight and fight about it. They all lead to the same place. Yeah, I’ll try to check it out. Sunday at 9:00? Where did you say it was again?” I bit my lip and fumed in silence, resisting the urge to blurt out “You’re wrong!” and lay down a theological beating on him. Where’s the love in letting someone go on believing in that? The conversation meandered on, until finally Kat glanced at her watch. The church wanted us back by 7:30, so we bid farewell to the people in line, returned to our cars, and drove away—silenced and sobered by the morning.

“You are no longer students of The Master’s College,” Jon Freiberg’s voice shattered any further meditations I had about Skid Row, “as of now, until an undeclared time, you are all single mothers here in downtown LA.” I giggled at the thought of playing the role of a mother, but Jon was not joking. “You no longer have any of your possessions. We have ‘money’ for you with which to buy new clothes, housing, food, and transportation. Some of you will get more than others. I also need two people to be homeless.” Immediately TJ and Marcus raised their hands, and Jon laughed at them,

“Okay, you guys don’t have anything. Not even clothes, you’ll have to beg it off of other people.” He walked around the circle our group had formed in the church’s basement and handed out a small envelope of monopoly money to each “mother.”

“It will cost you twenty dollars a day for rent, three for transportation. Clothes are five dollars per article. Meals will cost you seven bucks. You get to keep two personal items from what you’ve really bought.” Blank faces appeared on everyone for a moment.

“Wait, you’re serious?”

Jon looked at the girl who had asked the question and smiled mischievously, “The goal is to get a taste of what it’s like to be poor. Welcome to the First EV Free Church Poverty Simulation.”

Four hours later, I found myself on the streets of Los Angeles, sporting tan khaki pants rolled up to the ankles, a brown and off-white striped collared shirt, and a sleeping bag slung over my shoulder. Peter walked at my side, studying the list for our scavenger hunt. A few feet behind us followed two girls named Ellie and Analisa. Our mission: to spend three hours traveling around the Pico Street area, engaging in activities normally associated with the poor or homeless. This included a bus ride, collecting cans and bottles, finding food, and acquiring money. We certainly looked the part, with our sleeping bags, plastic bags, unkempt hair, and plain clothes. I looked down the street, with its hole-in-the-wall shops, cracked sidewalks, and Hispanic population. Behind the shop, a homeless man dug through a dumpster. I couldn’t bring myself to ask these people for money or help, I just couldn’t.

“Okay, keep on the lookout for cans and bottles. Where should we go first?”

“How about we find out where we can get free food?” Peter said. That sounded good to me; even though I had no idea where to begin. Thankfully, Ellie had grown up as a missionary kid in Panama, and spoke fluent Spanish. We stopped the first Mexican woman we passed and—I assumed—asked her where we could find a place with free food. There was a soup kitchen on Pico and Alameda, the woman thought, and it was only a few blocks away. Ellie thanked her and we moved on, stopping at every trash can to see if we could find anything salvageable. In English class last year, I had read an essay about dumpster diving, and was determined to put the tips I had learned to go use. Nothing trustworthy emerged except for a few pieces of celery, one of which I ate only so that I could say I had eaten out of a dumpster. Occasionally, we tried to go into a bakery and beg for food, but to no avail. The owners of every store we entered glanced at us skeptically, and the people on the street shunned us, refusing even to make eye contact. I tried to put myself in their shoes looking at me; how would I have responded to the sight of myself like this on the street?

After several minutes of walking down Pico, a gray SUV drove by and stopped at a stoplight not far ahead.

“Hey! Need a ride?” The man driving shouted back at us.

“Yeah, we’re looking for Pico and Alameda.” Peter replied, pointing down the street. “I think it’s that way.” The man pulled off onto a side road, and we ran over to his car.

“Pico and Alameda?”

“Yeah, a lady told us we could find food there.”

“Uh, I’m not sure, I know there’s an Alameda that way. You guys out here on your own? Get in, we’ll see if we can find it.”

Peter and I shrugged, “Okay.” Throwing our bags in the space behind us, the four of us piled in the back seat. The man extended his hand,

“I’m Tony, nice to meet you.” He had short gray hair and a goatee, and his teeth were crooked and discolored. “Tobacco stains?” I wondered.

We drove under the freeway and passed the Staples Center. As soon as the stadium faded out of sight behind other buildings, the city quickly began to degenerate. Street vendors crowded the sidewalks, and one or two intimidating thugs leaned against the wall in nearly every alley; I saw no white people.

“I don’t know what exactly you’re looking for, but I hope it ain’t down here. White people come down here, and they don’t come back out. Yeah, you’d get f***ed up in a hurry here.” I winced, “Oh Lord, what have we gotten ourselves into? Is this were it all ends, on Outreach Week?”

“Alameda…does it even connect to Pico?” The man continued talking as we drove on, block after block, farther away from the church and what relative safety the opposite side of the highway afforded. He went on to explain—in colorful language—how he was on probation for drug use, but had been clean for a long time.

“You like hard rock?” We shrugged, so put in a mixed CD that was just out of my personal taste range, and continued talking. He had acquired the SUV thanks to clever use of the welfare system and genuine work. The farther we drove, the more he expressed his doubt that this food place at Pico and Alameda actually existed, and the more he tried to get to the root of our alleged predicament.

“Alright, you’ve been pretty quiet back there. What’s your story, come on, out with it.” I glanced at Peter. The poverty simulation worked far too well. This guy actually thought we were runaways.

“Well,” Peter began hesitantly (he would go on to assume the role of our spokesperson) “I turned eighteen, and decided to just leave. My dad had had enough of me.” I nodded in agreement. Yep, we had “left” home alright.

“We came down from Santa Clarita, and are just out here to find what we can. Kinda start afresh.”

“Just had enough with you pops, huh?” Tony appeared to believe us, “I don’t know about this Pico and Alameda sh**, but I can take you to another place a few miles from here. They’ll take you in, give you showers, lunch, but you have to be in before 4:00. If we go now, you can probably—” he stopped as a sign ahead read “dead end.” So much for Pico and Alameda.

“That’s it, I’m taking you guys there.”

“No, no! We’ve, uh, got some friends back where you picked us up. We said we’d meet back up with them. Can you just take us back?”

“You sure, I know what I’m talking about. They’ll do you up nice at this place.”

I leaned over to Peter, stomach churning, “Should we tell him?”

“No,” He spoke up in response to Tony, “Just take us back to where you found us. We really appreciate all you’ve told us though.”

“Okay, but be sure to check it out. Here’s the address, when you find your friends, be sure to go straight there.” He wheeled the SUV around, back through the ghetto. “And be sure to stay off drugs, kid. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but just don’t go there. Good luck.”

My heart beat did not begin to slow down until we were safely out of the car and watching Tony drive off. Later on, I would discover that our paper of instructions had specifically forbidden hitchhiking. I felt sick.

“Pete, I think that was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.”

After a dinner that failed to compensate for the breakfast and lunch I had missed, the poverty simulation continued into the night. No one had the “money” to afford a room indoors, so we laid down what few blankets and sleeping bags we had in the front yard of the Nehemiah House. Throughout the trip, our group had often spent time hanging out, eating, and praying at the Nehemiah House, but we would find no such luxuries there tonight. Instead, I and a student named James decided to unzip our sleeping bags and share them with Marcus and TJ, who had nothing besides the clothes on their back to keep warm. Marcus fished several pieces of cardboard out of a nearby trash can, and we laid them out as bedding. I rubbed my hands together and shivered. The two days before were quite warm, but a cold front had hit the city just that afternoon. I laughed dryly—perfect timing. Curling up under and around a few meager feet of my sleeping bag, I tucked my shoes under my head and tried to find a comfortable position. For a few minutes, I tried to avoid contact with TJ, who was tightly packed within the four of us like cordwood, but eventually gave up and rested my body against his. Warmth ranked higher on my list of priorities than awkwardness.

Despite the long day that started at four in the morning and ended after midnight, sleep was slow in coming. I tossed and turned, trying to keep my toes warm and my head comfortable against my rough canvas slip-ons.

“TJ, I hope you don’t mind if I, uh, put my leg here.”

He twisted around and patted me affectionately, “It’s okay Andrew. We’re homeless, remember?”

The Last, the Lost, the Least: Part Two

2009-02-17T21:32:00.000-08:00

For the first post in this series, click here.

We all, we all wear dignity. It covers the strong, the weak. We all, we all wear dignity. Even the last, the lost, the least.

The next morning I found myself in Peter’s SUV along with Adam and two other guys named Seth and Mark. Our team had split up in order to satisfy some of the church’s more practical needs. My particular group was headed to the home of a widow whose husband had previously pastored at the church. She was preparing to sell her house, and a team of five stalwart, young men was just the thing she needed. After some difficulties in instructions delayed our coming by half an hour, we arrived at a modest but well-kempt suburban home and set to work with gusto.
“Is there anything I can do?” I offered after the others set about vacuuming and moving furniture. Within seconds, a rag and dust spray appeared in my hand. It was not the most manly activity by any stretch, but a legitimate way to help, and I determined to do as much as I could as well as I could. We labored on for the better part of the morning, stopping on occasion for a drink of lemonade or tea. At one point, my work took me upstairs, where Peter labored to clean the bathroom.

“You know, I think one reason we’re so antagonistic towards the poor is because of their liberal tendencies.” I said, recalling my own reactions the day before,

“Like, it’s the conservative mindset to just let them help themselves get out of it.”

“Yeah,” he grunted in agreement, “I think that’s part of it.”

“But that isn’t the Christian position. We’re called to love these people no matter what. And it’s tough.”

“I feel you there,” he replied, “I see homeless people in Burbank, where I’m from, all the time, and it’s like, my gut reaction is to think they’re just liberals who don’t care if they’re there or not.” I nodded and continued dusting, lost in thought.

Soon enough, we completed every task the widow could think of, and prepared to return to First EV Free Church. I smiled as she gave us all hugs and expressed her gratitude. Serving this woman, a needy sister in Christ, brought joy and satisfaction easily enough. Hopefully we would be doing a few more simple work sessions like this before the trip ended.

The afternoon featured a return to 12^th Place, this time after the schools got out. “I can do this, I can do this…Wait!” I checked myself, “no, I can’t do this, at least not without You Jesus. God, help me right now.” Just as before, the girls quickly assumed reading and teaching positions on the blankets, this time outnumbered by the children. I walked over to where Kat had started assigning students to children.

“Here, I’ll take this guy,” I indicated a boy six or seven years old. “What’s your name?”

He mumbled something quietly, so I repeated it as best as I could and took him to a stack of books.

“Which one do you want?” He glanced briefly at each book as I shuffled through them, finally placing his pudgy thumb on a Magic School Bus story. I smiled as I recalled reading such books nearly a decade ago, and positioned myself beside him on the blanket.

When we finished the story, I noticed a circle of chubby kids and college students bouncing a kickball around.

“Hey,” I said, “You wanna go play ball with them?” He paused for a moment, looked up at me, and nodded shyly.

“Okay, let’s go!” Together, we ran over to the group. I glanced down at the chunky little boy, with his short black hair and gap-toothed smile. It would not have become me to use the term out loud, but he was kind of cute.

The rest of the afternoon at 12^th Place passed in a blur. I remember playing another soccer game in the alley and getting chased around by a giggling little girl with a puppet on her hand. The books in my arms on the walk home hardly felt like a burden, and I laughed with the rest of the group as everyone recounted their experience. “God, thank you for this. Thank you that there was something there. Thank you for showing me that these people really are special.”

The Last, the Lost, the Least: Part One

2009-02-13T14:21:00.000-08:00

I recently wrote an autobiographical account of my Outreach Week experience last semester at The Master's College, and after having it critiqued in one of my classes, I'm going to be posting it in a four part series over the next two weeks. So without further ado, enjoy!

Live a life of privilege pushing back the last, the lost, the least of these to dull the edge of conscience with conceit. Live a life and see the world. Feel its weight on the shoulders of the least of these. It spins and twirls without rest or relief.

I hummed the Relient K song and adjusted the sleeping bag under my arm while attempting to sip a Mountain Dew. My duffle bag slipped from my other arm as I raised the drink. Frustrated, I opted to forgo the soda’s pleasure until I had descended the stairs between the dorms and main campus at The Master’s College and deposited my baggage at the gazebo where everyone had gathered. There were about thirty of us in all, students who had decided to go to First Evangelical Free Church in downtown Los Angeles for the school’s annual Outreach Week. I cast a wary eye about the group, spotting several people who I’d met before—TJ Morsey, Peter Mockary, Marcus LeGault, Lee Davis, and of course, Adam Carmichael. Adam had been my WOW (Week of Welcome) leader a few months before, and had also been selected to lead this group. I raised my eyebrows as I surveyed the group; a few pretty girls had apparently decided to join the First EV Free team too. Four days of serving the church in an impoverished area with great people—it looked like God had some good thing in store.

Three hours later, we all stood on a sidewalk under the blazing sun. I wrinkled my nose in disgust at the smell of urine behind the dumpster, wiped away the sweat that had begun to bead on my brow, and tried to focus on what our guide was saying. The senior Pastor at First EV Free, Douglas Moore, was giving us a brief tour of the area surrounding the church. The church was situated in the urban heart of Lost Angeles, surrounded by the 110 Freeway, a police building, and a neighborhood of overpriced apartments. Just a block or two away ran a street called Pico Boulevard, dotted with small markets, Spanish signs, and run down shops. On the other side of the highway, less than a mile away, towered the Staples Center—home of the Lakers basketball team. I continued to glance around the city as Pastor Doug spoke of the violence, drugs, and poverty that dominated the region. For ever sports car that drove by passed a man pushing a shopping cart. I marveled at how the most luxurious and desolate places in America could exist in such close proximity of each other.

The tour dragged on for another thirty minutes as Pastor Doug continued explaining how landlords packed the houses, often with illegal aliens, and charged them ridiculously high prices. He spoke of how there had been shootings and rampant drug use and prostitution here in the past, and how stores took advantage of the poor by forcing you to buy two gallons of milk (that they didn’t have enough space in their refrigerator for), or pay far too much for one gallon. Every few minutes, a grizzled old man or woman would approach and start mumbling something in Spanish, presumably asking for money. I glanced at my new plaid shorts and lightly tanned skin, fingering the cell phone and wallet in my pocket. The contrast was vivid. I didn’t belong here, none of us did.

We arrived back at the church, taking a few moments to pray before being introduced to Kathryn Lohr. Kat, as everyone called her, studied at Master’s but lived down here in the Nehemiah House, an boarding house supported by the college and church that offered students the chance to live in the neighborhoods here and minister to the poor on a regular basis.

“Welcome guys, it’s so awesome to have you all here.” She smiled and went on to explain that we had two options for serving the rest of that afternoon: helping out with the church’s after-school program or working with neighborhood children at a street called 12^th place. I sat there numbly as she picked out ten volunteers to help with the church’s program. The rest of us gathered up blankets, balls, picture books, hula hoops, and other children’s items and headed off to what I figured was the after-school hangout several blocks away.

We marched enthusiastically down to 12^th place in a matter of minutes, ready to finally do some hands on service, only to find four or five Hispanic children waiting for us on a small patch of grass between the sidewalk and apartments. I found out later that school had not yet gotten out at the time, so we really had no point in being there, but we could not turn back. Immediately, Kat and several of the girls in the group swooped down upon these kids, outnumbering them two to one but eager to help them with homework, read them books, and love them in any way possible. I leaned against a tree with my hands in my pockets. The children’s parents stood several yards off, surveying us coldly. Swallowing and diverting my eyes from their hard glances, I walked over to a circle of guys from our group who had begun to kick a soccer ball around. My stomach knotted, I had never played much soccer, and my beat-up gray loafers were by no means conducive to athletics, but I joined in anyway. It was better than twiddling my thumbs while all the girls labored over a few kids. Minutes passed like hours as I gently kicked the ball back and forth around the circle, waiting for some poor person to drop in my lap. “What am I doing here?” I thought. Peter, TJ, Marcus, and Adam had all gone to help with the church, so I kept silent, not in the mood for conversation anyway.

Nearly half an hour passed before more children began showing up. I forced a smile, trying to do at least something productive as several kids joined our circle and began passing the ball around. As more children joined, Faris, one of the older children in the group named Curvan proposed that we play a soccer game in an open alley behind the apartments. I jumped at the idea, finally something to do. We quickly formed into two roughly equal teams and started playing. I assumed the goalie position, watching the game and shouting out compliments to the children with as much care and love as I could muster. Most of them were overweight, surprising given the fact that most lived at or near the level of poverty. Occasionally a ball would come near me, but I contributed little for the most part. What good was this? Could a single pickup soccer game really do anything for these kids and their parents who couldn’t speak English? I pondered these things as the sun began to sink behind the houses and trees. After an hour or two, we picked up our supplies and began trudging back to the church, while the kids departed for their dirty, overcrowded homes. I sighed in hollow mixture of relief and confusion, shifting the basket of books from one shoulder to the other. We still had three more days of this?

Despite spending much of the day in the sun and having a thin mattress that softened the hard sanctuary floor, I tossed and turned in my sleeping bag that night. “God, I can’t do this, I don’t want to be here.” I thought, “How can I be so cold? How can this be so unfulfilling? Please, please, help me to love these people, because right now I don’t. Right now I don’t want anything to do with this. I need Your grace, God. I need the cross…”

Patience

2009-02-12T13:02:00.000-08:00

So I've written something for a class of mine here, and I'll probably end up posting it. It's not like I've forgotten about this blog, it's too young to die, but look for something big in the next day or two. . . after it's been critiqued by my class.

In the meantime, read through 1 John 4. It's been owning me lately.

Sovereign over the Plumbing?

2009-02-03T23:26:00.000-08:00

Yep, leave it to a Master's College student to think about life and theology when the plumbing goes out in his dorm. I was (and am) very annoyed at not being able to wash my hands or take a shower tomorrow, but life goes on and God is still good.

God is still good. Strange as it may seem, I think little inconveniences like this are important for us and can be a blessing. It is far too easy for us to get comfortable in the comforts, prosperity, and security of the modern world. Every once in a while, it's good to get a little slap on the hand reminding me that life really is fickle.

Seriously, everyone is so quick to talk about the frailty of life, but it seems we're rarely, if ever, prepared to confront this reality when life really does take a turn for the worse. It isn't only a number in the newspaper that gets their homes destroyed by a hurricane. It wasn't only Job who lost everything in a matter of days. God allows things like that to happen, and there's no telling when hard times are on the way.

I know that losing the plumbing for a day is bad at all. I can deal with it without having to earnestly seek God in prayer and humbly ask "why?" And I don't need a sermon,hymn, or bible verse to get through this emotionally. The point remains, though, what if it's the power next time? Or the internet? Or my financial aid?

I firmly believe that God is sovereign over the plumbing in Slight Hall. I know it happened for a reason, so perhaps we should try to get something out of it. Perhaps we should look to the grace of God to get us through this thing without any anger or impatience. Perhaps we should take comfort in the fact that even this minuscule trial has been custom tailored for each and every one of us by the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.

That's a pretty amazing thought. And if God can somehow make me more into the image of Christ by knocking out the plumbing for a few hours, may I praise Him all the more!

You Can't Judge a Book by It's Cover

2009-01-19T15:25:00.000-08:00

As Mr. Challies demonstrates here. My first thought? "Scathing review coming." My last thought? "Hmmm, just might have to check this out."

Da' Truth and Life Conference

2009-01-15T22:11:00.001-08:00

Yeah, it's been pretty freakin' awesome. J-Mac, Dr. Lutzer, and Dr. Ferguson, how much better does it get?

Granted, it isn't exactly dealing with an issue that I'm currently struggling with or having uncertainties about, but really good stuff nonetheless. And it kind of makes you think. There's no way I have this issue nailed down and that I've completely got this whole suffering thing under control. I mean, life may not be tough right now, but sooner or later, trials and pain are going to come. All God's people are, in one way or another, predestined to go through tribulations.

When said difficulties do come, though, by God's grace I'll be able to look back to this conference, and see that, no matter what is going on, God is somehow working all this out for good. Yeah, life can be pretty painful at times, but how awesome is it (as I've been reminded at this conference) to be able to rest in the fact that God is sovereign? My hurts aren't an abuse of free will or a lack of foresight on God's part. Nope, He planned them out for me, and there will be no reason for me to give in to sin, and despair, and hate.

Philosophical Tidbit of the Break

2009-01-12T17:27:00.001-08:00

Philip Johnson writes in his brilliant yet all-but-over-my-head book, Reason in the Balance:

"(A) theory that is the product of a mind can never adequately explain the mind the produced the theory. . . Once we try to explain the mind as a product of its own discoveries, we are in a hall of mirrors with no exit."

That simple thought gave me great encouragement and comfort when I read it. In order to explain our own minds, the "theory" that created it must be beyond our comprehension. In other words, there must be a certain element of the truth that we cannot possibly understand.

"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 'For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?'" (Romans 11:33-34)

the weight of our words

2009-01-08T17:52:00.000-08:00

So I've been listening to a band called Ivoryline recently, and while I'm not advocating them at all in this note, they really laid it down in a song called "Days End":

We should scream "thank you"
with every waking breath.
And cry "mercy! mercy" at every day's end.
Yet we remain quiet and comfortable in our A to B lives.
We're so quiet and comfortable in our A to B lives.

Our complacency won't last much longer.
An urgency will sweep, sweep, sweep
our sleep, sleep, sleeping hearts.
Our complacency won't last much longer.
An urgency will sweep.

It is then when we will cry for forgiveness,
yet not understand the weight of our words
nor the depth of His love.
But he will deliver. Failure is beneath him.
Yes, he will deliver. Failure's not an option.

First, the usual disclaimer: if I'm wrong on anything that follows, please correct me.

Now that last verse in particular hit me: "we will cry for forgiveness, yet not understand the weight of our words nor the depth of His love." Think about it, do we really understand the full depth of what we are asking when we come before God begging for forgiveness? Do we know exactly what we are saying when we sing "amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me"?

I think it's easy to toss around attributes of God in our prayers and songs without considering the full implications of what they mean.

"God, You are sovereign."

Okay, so do you trust, 24/7, in His promise to work everything out for your good?

"Lord, I deserve to go to hell; thank You so much for Your grace."

Right, so do you attack and despise the sin in your life as if even the tiniest violation was strong enough to damn you forever?

I don't want to sound postmodern, but it seems to me that one of the beautiful things about God is that we cannot completely understand Him. We've heard the gospel countless times in our life, but it should never get old or boring.

Why? Well, for one, there's the simple fact that we can hardly begin to wrap our minds around it all. Think about it: how do you feel every time you come back to the idea that Jesus Christ, God Himself, took the Father's wrath to save someone who had done nothing but hate Him? I don't care whether you've heard that for the first time or the millionth, the gospel should absolutely FLOOR you.

Just a few weeks ago it was Christmas time, a time when we celebrate the birth of Christ. Perhaps we should take a few solid moments to mediate on Immanuel: God with us.

Try understanding the weight of that name; the idea that the almighty Creator of the universe would be mindful of man--mere specks on an already tiny globe--and that He would actually enter into His creation and take the form of a man. Not only that, but He would come in a feeding trough behind an inn, wash people's feet, and suffer the worst injustice mankind has ever committed. And He would do this because of His love for rebels, thieves, murderers, and perverts like us.

What?!?!?! That doesn't make any sense.

Nope, not really. But how awesome is this God we serve?

Christmas Eve thought...

2008-12-24T22:28:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas all!

Now get off the computer and take time to be with your family, meditate on the miracle of the incarnation, and praise God for the wondrous love and grace He has extended to us!

I'll leave it at that.

we need more of this

2008-12-17T18:39:00.000-08:00

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081218/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_popularity

Words of wisdom from a great man. Perhaps the American church could take a hint. . .

Oh...My

2008-12-05T00:01:00.001-08:00

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97537385

As if the study Bible for teen girls wasn't enough.

There's more than one audience, I guess...

I gotta get me some of that.

2008-11-28T10:38:00.000-08:00

http://www.sandofchrist.com/?lc=

The things you get in your spam folder...

Election Reflection

2008-11-05T10:51:00.000-08:00

Yeah, yeah, the election is over. Obama won. What have we Americans done?

"But," you say, "No worries. God is sovereign, it was in His will somehow. It's sad but it's okay. Everything is going to be alright. Praise the Lord of the nations!"

No question, God is sovereign, but He was sovereign when Hitler came to power too. Is everything going to be fine? Well, yes, but only for those who love God and are called according to His purposes.

I would implore you to remember that just because God allows something to happen doesn't mean we're in for smooth sailing. It doesn't mean that we can sit back and let the world spin without a care in the world. I have a feeling that trials, insecurity, and chaos might be in store for America. Are we, as Christians, ready to face the madness? Is the church ready to stand in the face of persecution, love others, and preach the truth like Christ did?

Oh yes God is on the throne, but somehow He allowed millions of Jews to be killed sixty-something years ago. He has allowed millions of babies to be murdered in our very midst. No matter how you slice it, that's wrong, that's bad, that's evil. Let's face the reality of things: the world has been messed up, and I doubt that Mr. Obama is going to make it much better.

Look Christians, God did not put us here to fill out a ballot, go sit at home, and proclaim that He is sovereign. His people are about more than that.

Preach the gospel to all the nations. Consider others more important than yourself. Destroy every argument and opinion raised against the knowledge of God. Care for orphans and widows in their distress. Pray without ceasing.

Yeah, that's what I want to be about.

This isn't the time to twiddle our thumbs and wait for Jesus to come back. Seriously, Obama is president; what now? The war hasn't been lost (it never will be), but it hasn't been won either.

Maybe now is a good time for us to start fighting.

Makes a guy in a journalism class like me think...

2008-10-28T16:15:00.001-07:00

So someone is finally admitting the bias in the media.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081028/pl_politico/14982

Well, they've started to admit it, at least.

Facebook.

2008-10-17T15:41:00.001-07:00

So I know I haven't been posting much lately. There are two main reasons for this. One, I've been killer busy, up past midnight doing homework every night. Two, God has been using this semester to really humble me and teach me to rely on Him more. When you're surrounded by hundreds of people who are smarter and wiser than you, it's hard to feel like you have anything meaningful to say.

So that's where I am right now, right now I feel like I'm in more of a "absorbing" state of life. That said, if you want some theological or philosophical tidbits from me, you can check out my Facebook profile for my "Quote of the Week." This will be something that really struck me or has been on my mind through the past week. I did not originally say the quote, but hopefully you'll be challenged and/or encouraged by it.

Prayer Request

2008-10-07T15:36:00.000-07:00

One of the many, many, awesome things about The Master's College is that the school has made the decision to cancel classes for half a week just to give students a chance to serve and minister. Every fall in an event called "Outreach Week," students gather in teams to serve in local churches.

Tomorrow through Sunday, my team will be ministering at the First Evangelical Free Church of Los Angeles. It's a great church in the downtown LA area. Incoming TMC students actually visited it for WOW week this year.

Anyhoo, if anyone still reads this blog these days, we'd appreciate prayer for safety, unity, and loving hearts in our group. Also, please pray for the gospel to go out in a truthful and powerful way, and ask that God's word would not come back vain. One of the recent speakers in chapel pointed out that we are 100% effective everytime we share the gospel, so above all pray that God's will would be done and that He would be glorified through our efforts.

Joe Keller just predicted my future!

2008-10-02T16:45:00.000-07:00

So it's been a crunch week for me. I have a test, a quiz, an outline, a handout, and a six-plus page paper due right before Outreach Week. Two hundred and fifty pages had to be read, and I had to study an Awana booklet to get officially qualified at Placerita Baptist. To make the situation even more bleak, I'm going home this weekend to a family and friends that haven't seen me for a month.

What does God do? In an event nothing short of divine providence, both of my classes yesterday were canceled. Consequently, I'm sitting here writing this post instead of reading Mark Twain.

The really freaky thing? Our Dean of Students, Joe Keller, had just lectured on time management in Biblical Fundamentals about a week earlier, and he talked about this exact thing happening! There will be times, he said, where you're doing your best but still won't be able to get everything done on time. Life is looking bleak, when all of sudden, class is canceled.

That's me right there, but better yet, that's my God right there. All praise to the Sovereign Lord for His mercies, even in little issues like these!

Question of the Day (Week?, Month?, however long it takes for me to come up with another post)

2008-09-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

Is speeding a sin?

Dr. Gregg Frazer of TMC says "yes."

I can't really think of any reason why it wouldn't be.

Impossible Task

2008-09-23T11:23:00.000-07:00

So I have to do a six to eight minute informative speech in my Spoken Communication class. I have to choose a topic, so naturally I pick something that I'm interested in and fairly confident in talking about--The Doctrines of Grace.

Here's my problem: how in a million years do you fit all the Doctrines of Grace into an eight minute time span and do anything besides define a few terms? I'm pretty sure it's not possible. Already I've had to cut an argument by Jonathan Edwards and a quote by Desiring God Ministries. I've changed the title from "The Doctrines of Grace, Explained and Defended" to "The Doctrines of Grace, A Brief Overview." Worst of all, I've dropped several of my scripture references, and I don't even have time to read out the ones that are still left!

Guess it just goes to show how impossible it is to put God's truth in a little box. The gospel is beautifully simple, but the deeper doctrines of Christianity take some serious time and thought.

How do you fit the Doctrines of Grace into eight minutes? If there's one thing this project has taught me, it's that you don't.

Jesus, Thank You

2008-09-12T10:56:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite songs that we sang in church back home, and that I now have the privlidge of singing in chapel at Master's from time to time, is Jesus Thank You. This morning was one of those great mornings of chapel where we sung this great song, and as I was meditating on the chorus, something really jumped out at me for some reason.

The chorus of the song goes like this:

Your blood has washed away my sins, Jesus thank You
The Father's wrath completely satisfied, Jesus thank You
Once your enemy now seated at Your table, Jesus thank You

Don't ask me how I got the point I'm about to make from this song. For some strange reason I thought about it so here we go. Isn't it such an amazing privilege and gift to serve God? I mean, not only are we forgiven of our sins, justified through the cross, and assured a place in heaven (not to understate those things at all), but we actually get to do something for God. It's far too easy to fall into that dutiful mindset, where we feel we have to do things for God because of what He's done for us. No, it is actually a remarkable privilege to study God's word, it is a privilege to share the gospel, it is a privilege to worship him through song, studying, eating, drinking, and so on. They're not something that we have to do just because we're Christians. They are unique gifts from God that are reserved only for His people. Isn't that awesome!

Now don't get me wrong, I'm as (probably more) guilty of spiritual apathy than anyone, which is why I brought this up. We Christians need to have a mindset that is not duty-driven, but joy-driven and love-driven. If God suddenly gave us the ability to fly, or be really strong, we would use those gifts all the time. Likewise, he has given us the ability to evangelize, to study and obey His word, and to worship Him, so why don't we do those things with all eagerness and enthusiasm?

Something that keeps popping up into my head.

2008-09-07T15:52:00.000-07:00

There's something strange about suddenly living 24/7 in a place where almost everyone is smarter and more mature than you are.

I mean, in one sense it's pretty awesome because there are so many things to learn and so many things to challenge me. There's no doubt that from an academic and spiritual standpoint, this is the best place in the world to be.

On the other hand, though, I think it's ended up making me somewhat timid and reserved. Suddenly, I feel like the least important, least interesting, and most unwise guy around. As if I have nothing noteworthy to bring to the table, nothing to offer to others.

Not too much more than a thought...maybe I'm just feeling sorry for myself.

Labor Day Grab Bag

2008-09-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

Wow, so many things have happened recently that I could develop several different things into full posts, but these tidbits will have to suffice for now.

1. WOW (week of welcome) at The Master's College. As an incoming student, I had the privilege of attending WOW at TMC and oh man, it was great. Awesome people, awesome teaching, and awesome events all marked the week, and it was in general just a great time of fellowship and fun. Indeed, I think one of the main reasons that I will grow to love Master's so much is the constant spiritual emphasis of the college. Sure it is fun, there's no question that TMC has plenty of fun stuff to do, but there's also so much more than that. The bond in Christ that I have with (Lord-willing) everyone at the college is so deep and profound. With a ton of people more mature and smarter than me, I'll definitely be challenged to grow in my faith. Put simply, Master's is da' domb. Enough said.

2. Wake up! Wake up! I went to an Everyday Sunday concert Friday night, and I must honestly say that Trey and guys put on a good show. They rocked out pretty hard and I recognized most of their songs, so that was nice. Granted, they definitely weren't as awesome as Kutless. They played fewer songs, the sound was just too loud (even for a rock concert), and they simply aren't as good as Kutless musically. However, the hosting church's gospel presentation, while still a bit watery and vaguely explained, was significantly better than the one with Kutless. Note that the same church was hosting both concerts, so this was somewhat encouraging.

3. I finally saw I Am Legend for the first time. Slight dissapointment from what I was expecting, but ignore my expectations. Legend was a really entertaining and engrossing film with a great message. I recomment it. Of course, there was the inevitable bit of language and violence, it's definitely for more mature audiences, but for a PG-13 rated film, I'm not really complaining.

4. I discovered the next great party game during WOW week at Master's, and it's called Quelf! If you're looking for a truly random, yet amazing, group game that features loads of laughs and truckloads of fun, buy Quelf as soon as possible. I just invested in a game myself and upon playing it for the second time, it most definitely did not dissapoint.

Times They are'a Changin'

2008-08-22T11:38:00.000-07:00

Looking back over the summer, it's been pretty good. Enjoyable, long, some new memories. Growing stronger in several friendships, watching the Olympics (more thoughts on those later). Yeah it's been great, but finally, at long, the day that has been shadowing my whole summer has come....

I'm leaving for college.

Now not leaving leaving mind you. I'll still be within 100 miles from home at The Master's College, I'll still come home many, if not most, weekends to keep up with old friends and family and to fellowship with my decade-old church body. It's not really that that's so scary, exciting, and amazing. It's the total change in life that I'm about to experience. It's the fact that I'll never be able to go back to the "old days" again. Nope, life is really here, I'm an adult now. The place I've called home ever since I was born won't quite have the same comfort and significance it has for the past 18 years. My parents have assured me that when I graduate, they still be here with open arms waiting to welcome me back. That's encouraging, yes, but that's not what I want. When I graduate, I want a well-paying job (or a job in the ministry, we'll see); I've sapped enough resources from my family the past 18 years, and by the time I graduate, I better be able to take care of myself (especially if I'm married or engaged, but again, we'll see).

I've been reading the widely popular book, Do Hard Things, by Alex and Brett Harris over the past couple weeks, and it's been nothing short of amazing. One of the things the pair stressed was this myth of adolescence. They talked long and often about "doing hard things", growing up, and taking responsibility, because as teens there's really nothing stopping us from impacting the world except ourselves. I've always thought of myself as more on the mature side, but experiences like preparing for college and reading Do Hard Things are starting to change that. Heck, I'm 18 already and I would be in hot water if my parents (like some) chose to turn me loose and kick me out of the house as soon as I reached adulthood. I may be smart, I may adequately take care of my few responsibilities, and I may be self-motivated enough to write on this blog even when nobody reads it. One thing I am not, though, is a self-sustaining, fully functional, adult human being. If I was on my own, I wouldn't know where to start! That's a little bit why college is so scary (yet exciting). I get new freedoms living on my own, freedoms that don't seem nearly as awesome and glorious as they did ten years ago, but I also am living on my own. I have most the supplies and bills paid, but now I'm the one who has to start footing a little bit of the bill.

That's more or less what I've been thinking about the past week. No question, I'm looking forward to college, but that's only the first step into life, into the real world. So here I go! It's time to start learning, and time to start doing truly hard and manly (in the biblical sense) things for the glory of God.

Speaking of which, that is the true comfort in all of this. No matter what happens during my entire lifetime, God will still loves me, He'll still cares for me, and His perfect plan will always be what is best for me. Better yet, I have the highest calling of all: to serve Jesus Christ. Whether I end up writing the script for next summer blockbuster or working at Costco, I'll have the chance to share the Gospel and glorify God with my life. And that, after all, is what really matters!

Christian Music These Days

2008-08-18T11:14:00.000-07:00

Last night I had the privilege of attending my second real contemporary Christian concert ever. The band was Kutless, the place was Valley Bible Fellowship; and I must say that I had a great time. For better or for worse, Kutless is one of my favorite bands, and it was fun to see them live. They put on a pretty good show; rocking out for several songs, calming down for a more "serious" time, and then ending the concert with several more crazy songs. Musically, they were great and Jon Micah was acceptable with vocals. Yes, he could've been a bit better on some songs, but he was good. Better yet, the opening group, lead by Eric Mizelle, was decent as well.

Now I like Kutless a lot. I have all of their albums, and all are really solid, each one bringing a slightly new feel lyrically and musically, but all retaining just a bit of that signature Kutless sound that fans like me know and love. I think that their lyrics are more biblically sound and God-centered than most "Christian" bands these days, and their music, quite frankly, rocks. Despite how awesome they are, though, it's hard for me to wholeheartedly recommend them to someone. For instance, two of their songs (which isn't too bad over five albums) revolve around such bad/weak theology that I've completely deleted them from my itunes.

You see, the tough thing about music, especially CCM, is that contemporary songs are by nature somewhat subjective. Even if you don't understand exactly what the artist was originally trying to say, it's fairly easy to read or interpret the lyrics in a way that you agree with. Consider Wavorly, another one of my favorite bands. It's pretty clear from reading their "behind the song" blurb online that they operate from an Arminian viewpoint (Kutless does too, btw), and as such speak of human choice in several of their songs. A line from one song goes "when choice spans such a great divorce (between heaven and hell)." Now they're obviously speaking of human choice, but when I listen to the song, I interpret the song to mean God's choice spanning a great divorce. It's possible to find much truth in Kutless' songs, but when the band actually talks explicitly about important spiritual stuff in their concerts, it's pretty weak. Nothing about sin, hell, or repentance, just stuff about how the Christian life is so much better, there's a "God shaped hole in our heart" and how only God can satisfy all our wants and desires.

Now don't get me wrong, that's all true, and fantastic, and good (besides the "God shaped hole" thing). It's great to hear someone in a band talk about how their music does not bring satisfaction or happiness. It's great to hear the lead singer pray that God would be glorified tonight. That's fine and that's beautiful, but there's something missing. Jon Micah mentions Christ, but little about who He is or what He did. He talks about living with God forever, but nothing about the judgment that awaits us if we leave this life without Christ.

After the concert, one of the pastor's of Valley Bible Fellowship got up and spoke for a few moments. Now given that this concert was free and that there were probably quite a few unbelievers in the crowd, he gave a little talk about becoming a Christian. Again, it was a good idea to use this as an outreach event. Here was a great opportunity to preach the gospel to hundreds, if not thousands, of unsaved people. Did this guy do that?

Yeah...well...maybe not. He started off great, using Paul's Gentile strategy of starting with general revelation. He talked about creation, and how there simply must be a creator God, and how this God revealed Himself to us by taking the form of a man named Jesus and dying on the cross for us. After that, though, he started to peter off, going into how having a relationship with Jesus will make you happy and give you a great life. Sin was mentioned at most two or three times, and hell was completely absent. I don't recall any mention of repentance either. The peak of watered-down theology came when this pastor said something to the effect of "not only do you get to live with Christ forever, you get a great life, you get hope, you get satisfaction, you get joy." It was almost as if eternal life was an afterthought. Sure, you get to live forever and escape the burning wrath of God, but now, here, today, you'll be complete and you'll be satisfied and you'll be happy! Just come up and make a decision to follow Christ today, and you're good to go.

Being a semi-frequent reader of blogs like TeamPyro, Oldtruth.com, and Pros Apologian, and frequently listening to podcasts like Way of the Master and Grace to You, I hear things all the time about the gospel getting watered down or perverted. I read about critiques of the seeker sensitive movement, decisional regeneration, and all that jazz. Hearing this stuff, though, live and in person at an event that I looked forward to attending was really tough and shocking for some reason. It was like I saw right through all the emotions and Christian lingo to the core of the issue: a weak gospel. Evangelicalism and Contemporary Christian Music, especially in churches like this, really is in a sad state these days.

Again, I really don't want to come across as being judgmental or legalistic, but as zealous for clear teaching of the Word of God. I think it's fine to listen to CCM as long as you listen with a discerning ear and avoid being swept away with the clever lyrics and emotional message. No question, we can enjoy bands like Kutless as long as the word of God is consistently being applied in our hearts and lives and we are able to avoid being "tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine" (Ephesians 4:14).

Prayer Request

2008-08-07T21:35:00.000-07:00

Quick word before I cut to the point: this feels like a very pitiful thing to ask. The challenge I'm facing is nothing compared to Christians in the majority of the world. So keep this whole deal on the lower end of your prayer priorities, but I'll still appreciate all that God's people are willing to offer.

Me and several very good friends are going to be filming our second big movie for the Bakersfield Christian Youth Film Festival over the next four days. You can check out last year's film here. The film we did last year was a challenge to all of us, no doubt about it. You would be amazed at the amount of work it takes to produce a simple, low budget, ten minute film! Anyways, this year we face a much more daunting task. We're going to be camping for several days and filming everything as far from civilization as reasonably possible. If we forget something (which is likely) we're in pretty big trouble. If something doesn't turn out right, we're in pretty big trouble. If a huge and unexpected obstacle comes up, we're in pretty big trouble. In other words, there's precious little room for error, but hopefully we'll be able to learn from previous mistakes and produce the best movie that the Film Festival has ever seen.

So if you would be so kind, just ask that God would grant us quality and efficiency as we work, as cool weather as possible, and safe travel. Above all though, ask that He and He alone will be glorified through this project, and ask that we would be able to keep that in mind. It's so easy to get lost in the details and stress of the whole thing and forget that we're doing this all for a higher and holy purpose. To the Sovereign Lord God Almighty, and to Him alone, be all the glory, honor, and praise!

The Horror of Anxiety

2008-08-04T19:41:00.000-07:00

If you know me personally, you probably know that I and several of my best friends are producing our film for the Academy Awards this summer, since I'll be at college this fall. After almost two months of planning and thought, we are going to be filming in a few days (August 7-11 to be exact). The problem is, well, we're not really as ready to film as we should be...at all. Ironically, I'm probably the one who is freaking out most about this thing, despite my new life-mantra: "just chill." Seriously folks, two days and we've gotta be 100% ready to film. Everything, and I mean everything, has got to fall into place or we're gonna have a very difficult and rough time out in the desert (long story, just watch the movie when it comes out early next spring).

Providentially and thankfully, we just had a guest speaker from Grace to You by the name of Don Green at church two Sundays ago, and he preached on anxiety. Never, as far as my weak memory goes, have I heard a sermon more chock-full of application and conviction than the fine peace of preaching Mr. Green produced. For some illogical and sinful reason, I had always felt a bit justified in my anxiety. "Oh dear, a test is coming up. Yes I've studied, but not very much, is God going to reward me with a good grade?" "Oh no this prop isn't going to work out after I thought it was, maybe God's trying to teach me a lesson here." Things somewhat along the lines of that. I knew that I didn't deserve anything from God, so I guess I was afraid that He might actually stop blessing me so abundantly and give me something closer to what I deserve. The terrible irony here, of course, is that an understanding of the lowness of man and greatness of God should make me more appreciative of my situation in life. Consequently I shouldn't worry about the future because no matter what, I can be thankful to God and satisfied with my lot in life.

I'm sure my thought processes were a bit more complicated, but I think that's basically what it boiled down to. We should never worry, we should never freak out, and we should be anxious for nothing. The same Sovereign King and Creator of the Universe who cares for the flowers and birds will always be faithful to his elect, working everything out for our good and His glory. Praise God!

A Few Words on The Dark Knight

2008-07-25T09:19:00.000-07:00

Went to the midnight showing on Thursday night with some friends.

First of all, pretty much everyone is right in that it was a great movie. It was completely engrossing (and terrifying) throughout the entire two and a half hours, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Despite significantly more action than Batman Begins, it managed to brilliantly develop a complex plot and several main characters. Despite the title, the film was actually just as much about Harvey Dent, The Joker, or James Gordon as it was about Batman/Bruce Wayne. Heath Ledger was truly amazing as The Joker, and the rest of the cast was solid as well (I mean really, can there possibly be a better Alfred than Michael Caine?).

Despite all the ingredients of not only a great superhero film, but a great film in general, there's one key thing that indicates whether a film was great or not: how memorable it is. It's been over a week since I've seen The Dark Knight, and I'm still thinking about it! That is why it's so good. When your thoughts constantly return to the twisted and depraved acts of the Joker, internal struggle of Bruce Wayne, or tragic fall of Harvey Dent, you know there was something about The Dark Knight that made it awesome.

*note* Reviewers are right in that this is not a kids' movie. Aside from a few dirty words, The Dark Knight is very violent and downright scary at times. I still get chills whenever someone licks their chops like The Joker. Anyways, there are plenty of places to get more info on content. Just use some wisdom and discernment before seeing it.

The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything

2008-07-16T17:39:00.001-07:00

Finally saw it today, courtesy of free family film morning at our local theater. Pretty good movie, solid, random, goofy, humor in Veggie Tales fashion; a surprisingly good and interesting story; important biblical moral to the story...as always.

There are only a few real knocks I can think of as a film critic, namely, the animation. Yeah, yeah, it certainly wasn't bad, definitely tolerable for a guy like me, but I must say that it just didn't quite match up to most animated films today, and it wasn't even in the same league as Pixar (also saw Wall-E not long ago, great film, see it too). Again, I know, it's just Big Idea. Despite the name, they're not all that big of a company, and I understand that. The animation quality didn't bug me, but it might bother some people, especially those who paid ten bucks to see it in theaters several months ago. The other thing is the complete absence of God and Jesus. Sure, it may win a larger audience, but it really makes the movie seem a bit awkward and shallow in some of the morals it advocates.

For example: doing what is right no matter how big, brave, or skilled you are. First is fact that this implies absolute truth, second is the idea that we are all special and capable of doing something important and heroic. Both of those only make sense in light of God's word. We are all created in the image of God and are therefore all significant, important, and designed to bring glory to Him. Also, some things are "right" and other things are "wrong" because God has given us his standards. An action is wrong because it is committed against God, not because we feel like it is wrong (no disregard for the conscience, btw).

In sum, 'twas a pretty good film: good, clean, entertainment for all ages. I'm just not a huge fan of how Big Idea, a company know for being Christian, takes all references to God out of their movie. It's the only VeggieTales (that I'm aware of) that does not place God as the standard and giver of our morals. There are just no valid excuses for this.

After all, they did it with Jonah....

Where is certainty?

2008-07-09T17:46:00.000-07:00

Perhaps this is strange, perhaps it isn't, but more and more I'm working on writing songs and turning ideas and messages into songs. I have, about five that I've written so far this summer, and, since they all have a pretty substantial theological message I've decided to post a few of them. Here's one of my favorites (poetically, at least). I don't have a title yet, so if anyone feels bold enough to comment, I'd like some ideas.

I remember when you were the toast of the town
Like a light in the dark, the way to be found
Kings ruled and sages spoke in your name
You defined reason, true joy and true shame

Woah, forget what we said, those days are gone
Forget who we are, nobody is wrong
Woah, you have been dragged out, shot in the street
Foundations crumble as fools meet

That was like you, when the world was unsure
You’d bring down the gavel and open the door
We’ve always stood for you, through fire and war.
So tell me what happened? Are you worth dying for?

Woah, forget what we said, those days are gone
Forget who we are, nobody is wrong
Woah, you have been dragged out, shot in the street
Foundations crumble as fools meet

Blood runs through cracks of broken concrete
Compromise reigns, where is certainty?
Where is certainty, where is certainty, is there certainty?

Woah, forget what we said, those days are gone
Forget who we are, nobody is wrong
Woah, you have been dragged out, shot in the street
Foundations crumble as fools meet

You may have been dragged out, shot in the street
But I’ll still cling to you, and you’ll set me free

More Shudderings

2008-07-04T14:32:00.001-07:00

The past two Wednesdays, our church has been continuing the videos on Mormonism, this time a two-part production on polygamy in fundamentalist Mormon groups. Needless to say, this one made me even more sick. The stories from ex-fundy Mormons were just heartbreaking and terrible. They spoke of abuse, loneliness, jealousy and stress...lots of stress. Stress from being forced to marry a man they hardly knew, stress from trying to compete with other wives for their husbands attention, stress from trying to become good enough to go to heaven (or wherever they go after they die) and being told that if they try to leave or change their lifestyle, they will go to hell.

Passionate and saddening stories aside, the thing that really struck my intellectual side was the complete illogicality (is that even a word?) of polygamy. When you think about it even on a surface level, it's so obvious that it just isn't the way God meant it to be. One of the many beautiful thing about Christianity is that it actually makes sense and works when applied in one's life. When biblical principles are put in place, the family functions smoothly, people are satisfied, and society as a whole thrives. In other words, pretty much everything plays out as if were designed that way. Not so with Mormon fundamentalist and polygamy.

First of all, you've got the problem of more than one wife per husband. There is a reason that God made humans reproduce in an exactly equal ratio between the sexes. It's because only one girl is meant for every guy! Suppose that polygamy was practiced on a worldwide scale. There would millions, nay, probably billions of men that wouldn't have wives because there simply wouldn't be enough women around.

Secondly, polygamy is no conducive to a well-functioning society at any level. With so many wives, it is virtually impossible for a man to develop any strong relations with them whatsoever. This naturally leads to loneliness, depression, and dissatisfaction, while the whole time these wives are told that if they will go to hell if they resist or change. That's not even to mention the tens of kids that the husband has. They will miss out on crucial father-son time and never develop as well as they could. In fact, they hardly even know their father at all, if any of the film's stories are true. I may not have as strong a relationship with my dad as I should, but at least he takes me out for cokes once in a while!

Thirdly, it is horribly abusive and unfair to the women. We Christians take a lot of heat for not allowing women to hold positions of authority within the church, but we do hold than men and women are spiritually equal before God. In the case of Mormon fundamentalist sects, women are terribly demoted and almost treated as lesser beings than men. I don't know this for a fact,but I'm guessing that most of them are not content with the way they are living, yet they are indoctrinated with the idea that they will go to hell if they change their ways. So essentially they are trapped in this system with no chance of earthly escape and no guarantee of heavenly escape at death.

What's the bottom line here? Well, if you examine everything Joseph Smith did and taught, it's pretty clear to me that he was nothing but a selfish, perverted, deceptive, false prophet. Once again, we are reminded that God's Word as revealed in Scripture is the only unchanging, perfect, and sufficient source of truth and guidance.

"Musings" from San Diego

2008-07-02T12:19:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in my previous post, my family and I just spent several days vacationing in San Diego, and I have a few thoughts I figured I'd share.

One, God is a truly amazing and creative God! We visited both Sea World and the San Diego Zoo, and must admit that I have never been more impressed at the incredible beauty and design of the world we live in. The other thing I found amazing about the zoo in particular is that, despite the obvious evolutionary mindset of the zoo's researchers or whoever, they still referred to many attributes of animals as "designed." It's incredible that someone could see the variety, intricacy, and even beauty of the world's flora and fauna and still not attribute it to a grand Designer. At the zoo especially, I was reminded that creation does indeed bring glory and recognition to its Creator. It was almost as if I'd taken a small step back into Eden...or a step forward into heaven.

Two, I also had the chance to listen to a bunch of Way of the Master Radio podcasts on the drive down and back. Good, convicting, stuff, as usual, but when they played a reading of Jonathan Edwards' "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." To say the least I was shaken...a whole bunch. I'm not completely sure, but Edwards had a way with words (not to mentioned the authority of God's Word and power of the Holy Spirit) that really hits me right in the heart every time I read or hear that sermon. Vivid, passionate, authoritative, and all too true. Just take it from a brother trying to grow in his zeal and love for Christ; if you are ever feeling lukewarm in your walk and/or emotions, sit down for a few minutes and read "Sinners." There's a reason it's Edwards' most famous sermon.

Three, I had the chance to witness part of a three game sweep by my Mariners over the Padres. Yep, I'm a Mariner's fan, and am sticking with them despite high expectations and disastrous results for the season thus far. Seeing one of their rare wins was something kinda special (for me, at least).

Desert of Dreams

2008-06-26T20:47:00.000-07:00

This hardly sounds like an excuse considering I don't have a job or, quite frankly, any activity besides church twice a week, but I've been busy. There you are, I've been swamped just by reading, writing, stapling and checking email. In my defense, there have been a few odds jobs I've started recently, I'm in a band and trying to write music, I've again been saddled with the opportunity to write a script for a movie, and I'm writing a gang-story with several of my friends.

It is this last activity that I would like to draw your attention to. I'm heading out of town on vacation for a couple days, so if you want a dose of my hyper-creative side and/or you love reading fantasy stories in general, I'd invite you to check out my newest blog: the Desert of Dreams Chronicles. Once you're up to date on the story, be sure to check back every couple of days for the latest addition by me, Thomas H, or JBC. As a friendly reminder to do this, I've linked to this blog from my blog, so yeah, check it out, leave comments, and enjoy!

Thought for the Day

2008-06-22T22:08:00.001-07:00

I know this post won't be all that substantial, but an interesting thought occurred to me as I meditated on my pastor's sermon this morning and surfed my favorite blogs. As you may or may not have guessed by now, I am deeply interested in the whole "Calvinism vs. Arminianism" debate. Ever since my pastor spent a whole year preaching on the sovereignty of God, over the past several years I've read/seen multiple debates on the issue and read some quality material on the concept of "free will." Yeah, yeah, I know, I've pretty much always been a Calvinist, but I still enjoy hearing the arguments and biblical support from both sides of the debate.

That said, the thing that hit me is that one of the most prevalent arguments against Calvinism (but not completely for Arminianism either, see "edit") is that a loving God would not send someone to hell. One thing they fail to do, and, for that matter, something that Christendom on the whole fails to do, is look at the very nature of God's love. Take Romans 12:9, for instance. Paul is saying that true love abhors what is evil. Granted, this passage is talking about the love we as Christians should possess and demonstrate in our lives, but surely God's true and perfect love likewise abhors evil. Think about that. If true love hates evil, then why would we expect God to let sinners as horrible and rebellious as ourselves into heaven? The answer, of course, lies in the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross. When a person is saved, the punishment due to him by God is essentially transfered onto Christ. God, then, in a sense, looks upon him as holy and blameless.

The atonement aside, my point is that it is the nature of a loving God to send an evil person, in other words, every unsaved person to hell. This is, of course, assuming we use a biblical definition of God, but what other authority is there? Where did the oh-so-popular idea that "God is love" come from in the first place? The Bible, of course, and it is this very same Bible that says that true, Godly, love has no tolerance for evil. It may be hard to accept, but when an unsaved person faces God on judgment day, the loving thing for Him to do is send that person to hell, because He abhors what is evil. There is no attribute or part of God that wants to let the reprobate into His presence. His justice, His holiness, His wrath, and even His love all scream that the sinner get what he deserves--eternal damnation in the lake of fire.

*edit* I've been thinking about this a little bit more, and I'm realizing that instead of Arminianism, which has no problems with the reality of hell, this post has much more to do with answering to universalism and the, umm, more "positive" brand of Christianity. So ignore the first paragraph for the most part, it's not as relevant to the whole post as I thought it was going to be.

Satan can be so, so, well, loopy....

2008-06-19T20:23:00.000-07:00

If there's one great falsehood that really creeps me out, if there's one massive lie that just sends chills down my spine, it's Mormonism. Yes, all those other heretical religions are sad and scary, but this one really rubs me wrong. I don't know why exactly. Maybe it's their totally off-the-wall beliefs, maybe it's because I have a really good relationship with a Mormon family. Whatever it is, it really does scare me.

I'm saying this because our church just watched a video last Wednesday that compared the Bible to the Book of Mormon. It examined the history, people, places, flora & fauna, etc. of the two books to see how they stood up in light of all the physical evidence we have. To put it bluntly, the Bible absolutely owned. I mean, I just did a big project on the identity of Jesus that eventually branched out into reliability of Scripture in general. It is amazing that, given all the archaeological and manuscript we as Christians get criticized as hard as we do by skeptics, atheists, and the like. Sure, a thing or two may be questionable, but there's no doubt that we at least have a decent body of evidence to support our faith.

In contrast, the Book of Mormon's account has nothing. That's right, nothing, zilch, nada. Not a single shred of evidence to support it's historical narrative. It talks about battles in North America where millions of people died, yet we have nothing. It mentions great cities and civilizations with great technology, yet there is no trace of them today. It mentions wheat, barley, and horses, yet none of these are found in North America. All they have is a one book with absolutely no reason whatsoever for believing in except for the fact that it claims to be revelation from God and brings good feelings. I've heard of blind faith, but this is just so, well, as the title suggest, loopy!

Now let me get something straight here: I don't want to make fun of Mormonism. I realize that many serious and clear-thinking people actually believe this, and I realize that this is a deeply thought-out and developed belief system. At the same time though, it's so terribly obvious that the whole thing is a outright lie. I don't exactly know what happened to Joseph Smith, or what he saw, but the guy is a total fraud. That's why it's ever so important that we stand up for the truth in times like these. For some reason, Mormonism is one of, if not the, fastest growing cults these days; we need to be showing them that the entire thing is a great falsehood and that salvation is found solely through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ as taught in the Bible. Unlike the fabrications of devils, God's word has stood, tried and true, for thousands of years. It is the sole, infallible, perfect, and complete source of knowledge and truth, and nothing can stand against it.

Something to Cover me for the Week

2008-06-17T21:26:00.000-07:00

Sadly, I have very little amazingly profound to blog about at the moment. At least, nothing amazingly profound that we shouldn't be aware of every day. For instance, today I had the privilege of listening to a couple Way of the Master podcasts while working on a small, mindless, job for a friend at church (gotta love the power of multitasking). They played a clip of R.C. Sproul essentially summarizing the main story of Scripture: God creating the world, notably mankind in His image; man rebelling against God; God having the amazing grace and love to send His only begotten Son to the cross to make a way of salvation for rebellious man. I'm sure you've heard it countless times, but there was something in the way Dr. Sproul (he is a Dr., right?) spoke and emphasized certain aspects of God's truly incredible love and mercy that just brought me to my knees. To think that God owes us absolutely NOTHING. To think that He would have been perfectly right and just to annihilate the human race the moment Adam fell. To think that He not only turned His back on but hated His own Son, another member of the Godhead, so that I could one day be reconciled to Him! I literally stopped what I was doing to wonder at and rejoice in the fact that God saved a wretch like me. I mean, WOW, I've heard the Gospel many times (and hopefully will hear it countless more times) yet it is still the most beautiful, precious, thing I have ever attempted to wrap my mind around, and it is infinitely better than anything else that's ever happened to me. Praise God!

*on a somewhat different topic* I also managed to spend my time reading two big long blog discussions on Calvinism vs. Arminianism (i.e. predestination vs. free will). That's right, two of them...in one day (just linking to one of them though). Talk about a nice mental exercise. Needless to say, though, I came away from both with renewed convictions that the doctrines of Grace are indeed taught in God's Word. One commenter (from a discussion on the topic that I was reading several months ago) best summed in up in saying that you can search the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation, but you will never find the concept of free will (at least, not in the Arminian/semi-Pelagian sense). Ironically, just about every verse I've seen used to support Arminian dogma is also completely consistent with the Calvinist position. In fact, one guy even went so far as to say that Calvinism does seem more heavily grounded in Scripture, but it still didn't sit well with his previous personal convictions. That, I think, seems to be the crux of the issue. Despite the repeatedly clear teachings of Scripture, some people just can't bring themselves to worship a God that would create people only to send them to hell. I would go on, but an excellent summary of this can be found in the James White vid I posted several weeks ago. Definitely one of the most powerful and truthful ten minutes of teaching I've ever heard.\

Edit: I'd also check out this recent article by Al Mohler on homosexual marriage in California. Short, sweet, and brilliant. He brings up and exposes some of the faulty reasoning behind this tragedy that I'd never really thought about before.

Screwtape Reaction

2008-06-11T20:50:00.000-07:00

Okay I'll admit it. I'd really like to be able to churn out a nice, lengthy, review after every book I read (much like Mr. Challies), but I very rarely take notes when reading on my free time and I'm, well, not exactly in the "school/educational" mode at the moment. Thus, I'll have to make due with a "reaction post."

Overall, I found C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters to be a very good, thought provoking, and interesting read. I'd recommend it to almost any semi-mature Christian. There are two main things to observe before I launch into the bulk of the review, and it is important to keep these things in mind. First, this is a fictional, theoretical, speculative, and very personal book. It would be a grave mistake to assume that everything Lewis wrote is founded on Scripture, and I'm sure he would say the same. This is just one guy's take on spiritual beings, I personally doubt that Hell and devils really function the way Lewis describes them. Second, Lewis notes in the introduction that not everything Screwtape (the first person narrator of the book, a "high-ranking" devil) says is true; rather, it is only what he thinks is true.

That said, there are many things in the Screwtape Letters that one can learn and meditate upon. Namely, the nature, processes, and forms of temptation and sin. There were many great lines (probably one every other chapter) that I wish I could quote here. In other words, I was frequently examining my own life while reading this book, and I found several of Screwtape's examples and advice to be all too familiar. Several good points include:
--The spirit world is very real. Satan and his devils are constantly working to draw people away from God via lies, temptation, and confusion. They are always working to create the next huge damning worldview (in the specific case of this book: Nazism).
--The fact that every extreme a person could go to (except extreme devotion and service to God) can become dangerous and ultimately sinful.
--Pleasure is not in and of itself a bad thing; after all, God created pleasure. It should be noted, however, that the demons are quick to exploit and pervert this pleasure into sinful forms.
--A clear thinking head is Godly. One thing I found very interesting is that Screwtape often advocated confusion and unreasonable thinking. Lewis always painted reasonable and logical thinking as something that leads men to God. More often than not (actually, all of the time) devils try to confuse people, deaden their reasoning, and draw their mind away from the matter at hand. It is very interesting to consider that Screwtape takes satisfaction in the fact that "great scholars are now as little nourished by the past as the most ignorant mechanic who holds that 'history is bunk.'" All sin is ultimately foolish and unreasonable; it never makes real sense to do it, yet we too often are blinded to the simple truth.

Naturally, there are some things in The Screwtape Letters that I had to just flat-out reject. Most significant among this is the blatant Arminianism. This could, of course, be one of those things that Screwtape only thinks is true, because a God that "can only woo" makes for a much easier opponent for devils. Nevertheless, the whole "free will" thing was so prevalent in the book that I felt several points were worth addressing.
--God does not convince men to become Christians. Contrary to what Screwtape says (which Lewis may have considered untrue) God does have the power to directly save a person if He wants. He is the one that initiates, executes, and finishes salvation. Every stage of the salvation process directly involves the sovereign work of God.
--There is not some kind of "spiritual balance" between good and evil in the world. For some reason (probably due to Screwtape's perspective) this book left me with the impression that there is a delicate balance between good and evil, like two sides playing a game of strategy and constantly trying to exploit the other's moves. Yes, there is a struggle between good and evil, but God is not trying his best or failing to completely overcome evil. Instead, He is tolerates it for a time yet will ultimately triumph over Satan and accomplish His will for the universe.
--I have very little authority to speak on this matter, but I'm fairly sure that Screwtape misses the exact nature of prayer as well. Through some confusing chain of reasoning, he manages to argue against the notion that God works out our prayers in accordance with His will. In other words, Screwtape thinks that our prayers were not "predestined" to occur because if they were, then we wouldn't pray freely. Rather, God does not foresee, but sees things in "His unbounded Now." I, quite frankly, believe that prayers are predestined and that they are more for our benefit and God's glory than anything else. God knows our thoughts and our heart, and I don't believe that our prayers convince Him to do anything. That's why we pray for many things, but above all we pray that the Father's will be done.

Above all, though, The Screwtape Letters did bring up a very interesting "logical contradiction" of sorts. As mentioned, Lewis says that not everything Screwtape says is true, and I'll probably grant him that. One wouldn't expect the "Father of Lies" or his followers to speak the truth. However, I've also been told that Satan and co. know better theology than even the most brilliant and learned theologians ever to walk this earth. If this is so, though, then the devils must know even better than we as Christians do, that their struggling is vain because God is omnipotent and will ultimately triumph in the end. Now I'm sure their hatred of God is so intense that they will continue to rebel until God casts them all into the lake of fire. Here's the thing about The Screwtape Letters though: Screwtape seems confident that his side will eventually triumph. Now given the Arminian (perhaps even Pelagian) view from which he operates, I can see this being a bit more plausible, as there really is a true, undecided battle for souls.

I'll leave you with that thought...and the recommendation that you read this book.

Calm Before the Storm

2008-06-08T20:28:00.000-07:00

Now that it's summer (and seeing as how I don't have a part-time job...yet) I'll try to be blogging a bit more extensively. I have a couple substantial ideas fermenting, but until then, here's a few tidbits:

--I've started off my summer reading, which hopefully will end up being quite extensive, with some good old C.S. Lewis. First was Prince Caspian. After seeing the movie (an excellent film btw) I decided to read the book to get a better feel for the two. Yeah, I know, the movie was quite a bit different, but you have to realize that the book, while great, is not structured like a good movie. So I respect the changes the Prince Caspian producers made in the film. Next up was The Screwtape Letters. A good friend of mine was reading it so I decided to do the same. Very interesting book to say the least. I'll likely be posting a more extensive review later.

--Okay I'm not very familiar with this band at all. In fact, I think I've only heard one of their songs, but I came across a link on challies.com to a free album download from Downhere. From what little I've heard, they seem like a decent group, and you can't go wrong with free...

--Ummm, let's see, I guess that's about it for now. I'm in a really rough little band with some friends and we actually have a pretty well developed song going at the moment. No, recording is still way off, but perhaps I'll post and discuss the lyrics one of these days.

Until then, go read something better, like, umm, say, maybe the Bible?

2008-06-03T09:54:00.000-07:00

Okay, I've never really gotten into these kind of things, but I think this one might be kinda cool to check out every week or so. I saw on Yahoo the other day that some teenager from Marina Del Rey, California, named Zac Sunderland is going to attempt to be the youngest person to sail solo around the world. The guy is currently 16 years old, and yes, like almost all of the young overachievers in the world, he's homeschooled.

The link to his official site is here.

Gratz!!!

2008-05-29T14:54:00.000-07:00

Not to draw attention to own personal accomplishments, but since I'm graduating from Valley Oaks Charter School this week, I figured now was probably as good a time as any to give all the graduates out there my hearty "congratulations!" This is truly is a time to look back at what we've learned and accomplished, and, above all, to thank God for all the knowledge and privileges (specifically education, time, and determination) that he has blessed us with.

I've also prepared a speech to deliver at my graduation ceremony, so I'll deliver that here. Before you start, though, let me clarify a thing or two. My dad read through my speech and was concerned that I may have exhibited some postmodern tendencies when talking about truth. He seemed to get the impression that I was saying truth was subjective or decided by us. I can assure you THAT IS NOT THE CASE. I firmly believe that truth is absolute and transcendent. The main thrust of that section of the speech was that: 1. The concept of truth is controversial and uncertain in our society to day 2. We, as the next generation, will be the ones deciding how truth is determined, perceived, and defined 3. Therefore, we'd better be sure we get this whole "truth" thing right.

That's all I was trying to say. Whether we come to an accurate, biblical, understanding of the truth is another question all together. Clearly, this generation is currently making a huge mistake when it comes to truth, they are redefining it, obscuring it, and killing it, and that is their choice. They will, however, be judged for it, and our society is already starting to show the consequences of their decisions.

The other issue is that I do place great emphasis on people's choices, decisions, etc. in the speech. Calvinists, please do not fear, I am a firm "five-pointer," and I tried to carefully watch my wording in those sections. There is no question that we make decisions and are responsible for our decisions. However, I believe that God is sovereign over and through our decisions and he will ultimately decide where the ideas and values of mankind go, but that does not exempt us from our responsibility to do the right thing.

*inhales* Okay, that said, pretty much any high school (or possibly college) graduate is included in the overall intended audience of the speech. Hopefully someone will find it helpful and/or inspiring. Here it is:

To all the parents, teachers, friends, and family present tonight, allow me to extend a hearty “good evening”. And to my fellow graduates: I offer not only a “good evening” but my sincere “congratulations”!

I would very much like to reflect upon the great accomplishments of the students here tonight, and I would very much like to recollect all the great memories that I have accumulated while attending Valley Oaks Charter School. I’m sure it has been a long road of ups and downs for all of the graduates here tonight. Indeed, there is no question that you all have an excellent reason to be proud and satisfied at this moment. While we have, perhaps, encountered few obstacles larger than a Senior Seminar project, throughout the past four years, high school is a mountain in and of itself. It is a race of endurance, a marathon that requires years of preparation and plenty of help and support along the way. So first and foremost I want to make it clear that every student who will be walking across the stage this evening has definitely accomplished something special, and so I repeat my assertion: congratulations to each and every one of you.

That said, though, I also believe that a high school graduation merits not only a satisfied look backwards, but a hard, calculated look forward. Keeping your eye on the prize is a valid philosophy to live by in school, but our diplomas tonight are not the final be all and end all. They are not the ultimate grand prize we could ever hope to achieve (though it may have at times seemed like that to some of you). On the contrary, our diplomas are but another stepping stone in this grand obstacle course known as life. The thing that differentiates this proverbial checkpoint from the others in life, though, is that today we are suddenly endowed with great responsibilities and new privileges. This is not your eighth grade graduation where “everything counts now” (no disrespect to 8^th graders). No, everything is now. We are all adults, or will be very soon; we are the next generation; we are the future of the amazing nation known as the United States of America. My fellow graduates, it does not matter whether you are destined for college, the military, or the workforce. We have all inherited great privileges, great rights, and great freedoms, but along with these we have also inherited great responsibility. It is up to you as individuals, it is up to us as a people, and it is up to us as the next wave of humanity, to decide who we are and who we will become. I hope you all realize that we do live in an era of great and tumultuous change, and I hope you all realize who is responsible for shaping the future of these changes.

For example, several months ago, I visited The Master’s College, which I will be attending this fall, and I was given the privilege of sitting in on several classes there. One of these classes happened to be some sort of a theology or philosophy course, and the professor, a Dr. Brian Morley, was talking about the concept of truth in our society. Eventually, he got into the different ways we determined truth and how we perceive truth in our lives, and while I cannot, unfortunately, remember his exact words, he did make the point that the notion of truth is a very debatable and, how should I put it, “chaotic” subject today. He also said that we, the students in that class and society as a whole, will therefore be the ones deciding how truth is perceived and defined in the future. I want you to think about that for a moment. We are talking about the core principles that people live by; the essential values that hold society together will, either directly or indirectly, be decided by us, you! Misunderstanding something like this could result in disastrous consequences. That, my fellow graduates, is an awesome responsibility.

At this point, some of you may be thinking “Oh, well that’s fine for you to say, but I’m just going to be another Army recruit” or “I’m just another construction worker.” To that I would respond: “And your point is?” Sure, you may not be the next president, bestselling author, rock star, or Olympic athlete, but you are a thinking, responsible, and important person nonetheless. Each of us, however insignificant we may seem, is capable of changing the world in some way. We need to realize that who we are and who we will be as people and as Americans is not going to be decided by politicians on Capitol Hill. No, it’s going to be decided by those of us in this room, and the deciding starts right now. If you look back over American history, you will find that the great social movements did not come from the political rulers of the day, they came from the people, from the masses. The abolition of slavery, the civil rights movement, even the Revolutionary War came primarily from the people because the people wanted change. This great nation of ours was created of the people, by the people, and for the people, and I firmly believe that the future soul, the very core of America, is rooted in the hearts and minds of these young people here tonight.

I’ll admit it right now: I searched long and hard for a quote by some famous person that would tie in nicely with my message tonight, and after vainly searching for some time, I was reminded of the lyrics to one of my favorite songs. This song is called Madmen and was written by a band called Wavorly, the second verse and chorus read:

"No excuses, the time for change is here and now
This is the real adventure
To move past what’s mediocre
Obsessed with entertainment
Step up or miss the point of it

We say that we’re the future
Only want it if it goes our way
The time we have is crucial
Will we put this off another day?"

It is important that we do not forget that the time for change is now, and the time we have is indeed crucial. By all means, please, relish the moment like a lifelong milestone; remember this day like you would any other wonderful occasion; and be satisfied that you have successfully arrived at the end of the very long and important journey called high school. All I ask is that you remember the fact that you are a vital part of the future, and you cannot put this responsibility off another day. Congratulations graduates, for today officially marks the end, of your beginning.

Amen!

2008-05-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

Wow, I wish I could literally say something here, as it comes out like "Emmhmmm" when I try to write it out. Let's just put it this way. There's decent preaching that makes you go "Hmm, ahhh, yes, that's true, that's nice, but..." There's good preaching that leaves you spiritually full: just good, solid exegesis of the Word and convicting truth. Then there's great preaching, preaching that makes you want to praise God, reach the lost, and rejoice in the truth. You know what I'm talking about, this is God's servant and His truth ON FIRE. Preaching that is best described here, and embodied in the following video:

Preaching that just leaves you adding nothing but a hearty "AMEN."

edit: original link to the vid is here.

Family

2008-05-11T16:34:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to feel kind of cheap just pulling stuff and ideas from other blogs, but hey, there are many brothers and sisters in Christ out there who have better ideas and say things better than I do.

Seeing as how it's Mother's Day and how I have woefully little prepared for the occasion (btw, love you so much Mom!) I was surfing around and came across a wonderful poem from the puritan book, Valley Of Vision called Family. It seriously is an amazing piece that really spoke to me and addressed some of the things I've been going through lately. Here it is:

O SOVEREIGN LORD,
Thou art the Creator-Father of all men, for thou hast made and dost support them;
Thou art the special Father of those who know, love and honour thee,
who find thy yoke easy, and thy burden light,
thy work honourable,
thy commandments glorious.
But how little thy undeserved goodness has affected me!
how imperfectly have I improved my religious privileges!
how negligent have I been in doing good to others!
I am before thee in my trespasses and sins,
have mercy on me,
and may thy goodness bring me to repentance.
Help me to hate and forsake every false way,
to be attentive to my condition and character,
to bridle my tongue,
to keep my heart with all diligence,
to watch and pray against temptation,
to mortify sin,
to be concerned for the salvation of others.
O God, I cannot endure to see the destruction of my kindred.
Let those that are united to me in tender ties
be precious in thy sight and devoted to thy glory.
Sanctify and prosper my domestic devotion,
instruction, discipline, example,
that my house may be a nursery for heaven,
my church the garden of the Lord,
enriched with trees of righteousness of thy planting,
for thy glory;
Let not those of my family who are amiable, moral, attractive,
fall short of heaven at last;
Grant that the promising appearances of a tender conscience,
soft heart, the alarms and delights of thy Word,
be not finally blotted out,
but bring forth judgment unto victory in all whom I love.

2008-05-09T22:40:00.000-07:00

So I haven't been posting much lately. Sad, as this blog is probably more for my benefit than anyone else. As an aspiring writer, it's good to have a "whatever-you-feel like" outlet in the midst of history papers and English essays.

In any case, I ran across a quote by C.S. Lewis that really stuck out to me. I think it's a great point, especially in our postmodern world and given the the promise of "change" from a certain presidential candidate today. Lewis writes (or said, idk).

"We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive."

Love it; the true path is indeed narrow, and there are few who find it.

"Expelled" movie review (for what it's worth)

2008-04-20T14:14:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I haven't posted in awhile...a long while actually. So allow me to issue a humble apology to all readers (that means you Thomas ; P). I could say things have been busy and crazy with the semester starting to wind down and scholarship applications due, but I really don't have any decent excuses, sorry. Here's the post:

After hearing hearty recommendations from Answers in Genesis, my Philosophy class, and others; and being already interested in the subject matter of the film, I figured I had basically no choice but to check out Ben Stein's new film, Expelled. Great stuff, Stein's project is extremely engrossing, inspiring, revealing, and, at times, humorous. This blogger thoroughly enjoyed it and recommends it to any and every thinking person in the United States...period.

To be sure, Expelled is bound to prompt a firestorm of controversy and debate, which is good. The entire thesis of the film centers around the alleged squelching of the intelligent design (ID) movement and it's relation to free speech in American. Interviewing prominent scientists, teachers, and philosophers, the suit-and-sneaker-wearing Stein embarks on a somewhat personal journey to discover if and how intelligent design is being suppressed in today's academia and whether or not such a theory really has scientific merit.

He begins by exposing "expelled" teachers and researchers, listening to their stories, and then interviewing those against ID. Stein then examines the precise claims of ID, showing their scientific basis (such as the complexity of the cell) and thus the inadequacies of Darwinian evolution. Following this, Stein examines the implications of this godless theory as demonstrated in the holocaust. Admittedly, I cannot provide much of a summary after this, I was up extremely late Friday and things started to get a tad hazy after 8:30, but suffice it to say that Expelled closed off with an (hmm, how should I put it?), "revealing" interview with Richard Dawkins, calling the viewers to action and noting that it will take more than a small film by Ben Stein to change the academic oppression today.

I've heard (and only heard) that the film has been ripped by both sides. Those from the more liberal/secular side denounce Expelled as mere creationist propaganda, while, ironically, some creationists wish Stein had used the opportunity to share more evidence for creation. For starters, I personally don't see the film as any kind of propaganda or foolishness at all. Expelled goes to great lengths to make it clear that we just want to ask questions and engage in healthy, scientific, debate. I don't even think the film claims that ID is correct or better than Darwinian evolution. It is simply trying to alert the American populace to an important and controversial issue. I am, admittedly, a creationist (one of those literal six-day wackos at that) and also think the film could have been a little more supportive of the creationist cause. Nonetheless, Stein asks many brilliant men a lot of questions and makes few assertions of his own. Aside from the valid comparison between the Berlin wall and today's science, there is virtually nothing in this film meriting the "propaganda" tag.

The upshot of everything, as I've said, is that this is a really solid film that is worth seeing, even if you're already somewhat familiar with the evolution-creation debate. If you haven't seen it, be sure to check it out soon. The more support for projects like this the better.

(edit: check out OldTruth for an excellent review/discussion on Expelled, there's some great insights there, as usual)

Some Odds & Ends for the Weekend

2008-04-11T14:06:00.001-07:00

or as Mr. Challies would put it, "Friday Miscellanea. " Here's what I've been thinking about.

1. How about the American Idol performance of "Shout to the Lord" recently? I must admit I had some mixed reactions at first, it really irked me that they left out "Jesus" from the lyrics. At the same time, though, it's great that they're singing a great worship song like that for millions of people. I, for one, don't want to really take a strong stance either way, but it's definitely worth thinking about and searching the scriptures over.

2. I was really excited when I first heard about the recent Steve Gregg vs. James White debate on Calvinism. No other truths of Scripture are as stimulating, encouraging, and engrossing to me as the doctrines of grace. Granted, I haven't had the discipline to download even one hour of the debate, but I wonder if it's really the best use of my time. I know, I know, you really can't study a doctrine in Scripture too much, but I've examined the Calvinism issue so much that I wonder if I might be better off listening to a sermon on something like the fruits of the spirit, repentance, or evangelism.

3. My English class recently had the privilege of reading Jonathan Edwards' "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" in its entirety. All I can say is, dude, that guy could preach it! Seriously, it's tough to just read that thing; I can only imagine hearing a fiery message like that in person. Last year, I was blessed with the chance to do a big English project on him (different English class than this one) so I'm somewhat familiar with the guy; God really used him in some powerful ways. The sad thing is that he's so misunderstood by the secular world. My current class in particular says that he was trying to scare the people into being "reborn." I've noticed secular texts are really big on using the term "rebirth" to describe the Puritans' view of salvation; this is obviously not wrong, but it just strikes me as somewhat tedious and condescending to use only that one term when talking about Puritans. How about "regeneration," "repentance," or "salvation?" Those are good. In any case, they really got it all wrong, Edwards wasn't trying to scare people into getting "reborn," he was preaching the gospel. Yes he was obviously pleading with sinners to realize the danger of their situation, repent, and flee into the arms of Christ, but all the while Edwards trusted in God to gather His elect accomplish His will. Edwards wasn't manipulating people, just fulfilling the great commission. I, for one, would love to have that kind of knowledge, selflessness, and love of the Lord. I look forward to meeting him in heaven someday.

edit, 4. That video some friends and I made for the Academy Awards, Reliance and Revenge, is officially online now. It's lost some quality, but you can watch the video on GodTube here.

Happy Atheist Day!

2008-04-01T13:06:00.000-07:00

Check out Pyromaniacs for a good discussion on that topic. I regrettably do not have anything special planned for the occasion, but I have been saving a little something in my back pocket for awhile.

I like to write, plain and simple, and when I came across a songwriters/lyricist contest a few weeks ago, I figured "Hey, might as well try my hand at writing some lyrics." So I sat down one Saturday afternoon and pieced together these words. It's basically about looking back at my salvation, seeing my completely fallen state, and marveling at the amazing grace and love of God. How or why He came into my life and forgave a sinner like myself is still beyond me.

Not of Me

I’m looking into the reflection of yesterday
Back when I had nothing to break my fall
I was more than alone, there was a debt to be paid
I was the worst, I’m the worst of them all

But somehow, someway
You chose to come in and save the day
You ransomed me wholly
Bruised the One who was worthy
Not of me, but of love,
Not of me, only grace

Now I see clearly the way that things are
I’ve earned nothing but wrath and pain
I was crushed, convicted, saw I was marred
But faith placed in You turned this loss into gain

Because somehow, someway
You chose to come in and save the day
You ransomed me wholly
Bruised the One who was worthy
Not of me, but of love
Not of me, only grace

How can this truth conceivably be
Why would you ever think of me
When I’d only hated You—

Until somehow, someway
You chose to come in and save the day
You ransomed me wholly
Bruised the One who was worthy
Not of me, but of love
Not of me, only grace

Yeah somehow, someway
You chose to come in and you saved me
You ransomed me wholly
Bruised the One who was worthy
Not of me, but of love
Not of me, only grace

Not of me, but of love
Not of me, only grace

It's one thing to have faith

2008-03-28T21:04:00.000-07:00

but this story is something else. I admittedly don't know many details, but the parents' actions bring up some very important points that are worth thinking about. Namely, is it possible to have too much faith? Or to put it slightly differently, to what extent should we rely on God and his sovereignty?

I was actually going to bring something like this up in a later post, but I might as well pull it out now. To put it bluntly, I think there is a balance that needs to be struck here. I mean, God could have saved the girl, right? Of course, but just because God is omnipotent over every single atom in the universe doesn't excuse us from action. It reminds me a lot of the story of a devout man who, during a terrible flood, resisted all help because he trusted in God to save him and ended up drowning. When he got to heaven he realized that God had provided a way to save him (via rescue workers in boats, helicopters, etc.) , he just didn't see the earthly help.

Now I just realized that that analogy could be incorrectly applied to the salvation process (and probably had been) but that isn't my point here. The idea is that we shouldn't live foolishly while trusting in God to do everything for us. God gave us reason; he wants us to be smart and use wisdom and reason in these things. As my pastor once said: "If I had a deadly brain tumor, I would get my hands on the best available surgeon out there." By all means pray for the sick girl. Pray like nobody's business, but use some common sense. Buckle your seatbelt, wear a life jacket, study for tests, and go to the doctor, all the while knowing that God is working all things together for your good and His glory.

You want application?!?!?!

2008-03-21T23:14:00.001-07:00

I'll give you application! Came across this post by Tim Challies (great blog btw), and found it to be a truly exemplary post. Definitely a great reminder and chock full of applicable truth.

If I may be so bold, though, as to add a quick note to Mr. Challies post. Seeing as this is the Easter season, we as Christians must always remember that we can and should forgive others because Christ has first forgiven us (Ephesians 4:32). As one blogger whose site and name escapes me said, we must always tie our studies and doctrines back to the cross somehow. Hopefully you can see how forgiving others and repenting of our sin are related to Christ's sacrifice.

Happy Substitutionary Atonement Day and Resurrection Day!

Well, I had something else but...

2008-03-17T21:40:00.000-07:00

I just couldn't pass this up. Found this vid on Mr. Turk's blog and ended up spending my first free 90 min. of Easter Vacation watching Dr. Keller's lecture and Q&A at Berkley. All I can say is wow, intellectually challenging, theologically solid (except for some iffy ideas about hell, see the comments on Cent's blog for more), applicable, and even convicting. I know this is probably too formal, complicated, and in depth for some of you to enjoy, I'm sure a few things even went over my head, but as I've said its quality stuff nonetheless. At the very least listen to the first 45 min. or so. The Q&A was good but after the first half I was a little disappointed.

Anyhoo, enjoy:

What is American coming to?

2008-03-08T15:27:00.000-08:00

I'm guessing most of you, especially Californians and those in my circle of the Blogosphere, have heard about the new ruling that threatens to ban homeschooling in California. Now before I say anything further, I admit there's some way better evaluations of this in other places, I'd especially recommend Dr. Al Mohler's and Dan Philip's recent posts on the subject.

That said, as a lifelong homeschool student and Californian, it's probably fair for me to put in a word or two of my own thoughts. Admittedly, I'll be graduating this May and my mom has been blessed with a teaching credential, but this decision has some serious ramifications not only in my life but to our nation. The way I see it, this ruling goes against our country's principles of freedom and rights, as well as the biblical mandate for government. I understand our officials' concerns, and every student should certainly have a quality education, but this is taking things way too far. We are beginning to make the state supreme and in charge of the way the next generation thinks. As one blogger put it, we're moving towards the "People's Republic of California" and that is not a good thing. I've recently been studying Communism in my (biblically based) Philosophy class, and, to put it bluntly, it demonstrates some frightening parallels to this state ruling.

The scariest thing of all, though, is not necessarily the fact that our freedoms are being taken away, it's the teaching that the next generation of Californians are going to receive. To summarize in one sentence, the public school system has and will forsake God's Word for the latest notions of post-modernism, multiculturalism, and "science." Children will be founded upon error-filled and man-centered principles, and they will be encouraged to accept and engage in sinful practices. We're talking flat out indoctrination here; the state will be deciding how we think and what we believe. This is all not to mention the fact that parents (and the family unit as a whole) will be gradually stripped of their God-ordained responsibilities and role in modern society. This is a massive step in the wrong direction people.

Granted, I'm just one person and a very sinful one at that, I know that my blog isn't going to change anything. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that all of my personal efforts and deeds, in and of themselves, cannot change anything either. Only God, the sovereign Lord and creator of the universe, is in control and only He can change the hearts, minds, and souls of a nation. In these dark times, we must never forget that God alone is weaving the fabric of events together for His glory and the good of those who love Him. This is not to say, though, that we should sit back and let the world careen off down the path of error and destruction. On the contrary, God often uses imperfect instruments like us to accomplish his purposes. It is this next generation of Christians, even those in the school system, who will be called to serve Christ and stand up for the Truth in an age of deceit, lies, perversion, and injustice. As Christians we can do all things, but only through Jesus Christ who empowers us.

Something to chew on

2008-03-01T19:19:00.000-08:00

I was intending sometime this week to post more on our movie, but our chief editor and director, Thomas Harlander, has been pretty much swamped this past week with homework, editing, and the like. I asked him for at least some screen shots, but alas, he hasn't provided me with any just yet. Therefore (since I promised at least one new post every week and will be busy tomorrow), I'll already be resorting to a filler to keep anyone and everyone happy.

This is a vid played to Mainstay's song Mirrors. If there's one band I can safely and wholeheartedly recommend, it's Mainstay. From my very limited experience, these guys have the best lyrics in Christian music today, and, to put in bluntly: they rock! This song in particular is very deep, and the vid only serve to bring out the message even more, so without further ado, enjoy!

Coming to a theater near you...well, maybe not.

2008-02-23T13:32:00.000-08:00

As some of my readers who I'm personally acquainted with know, I and an awesome group of friends are putting the finishing touches on our first official film for the Christian Youth Film Festival. It has been, to say the least, an overwhelming and completely unanticipated process for all of us, but by the grace of God we've finally managed to brainstorm, write, cast, film, and edit the darn thing. That said, I think all of us have really learned a lot and been challenged to (as the message in our movie says) rely on God at all times for all things.

With so much time and effort invested into this movie, I figured it at least deserved some kind of special place on the internet. Thus, my blog will be serving as the official temporary website of Reliance and Revenge. It is a hilarious heist/action flick about a teenage guy named Logan who was humiliated by a girl (Ashely) in the past. In the film Logan tries to get revenge by recruiting an elite team of thieves and stealing something from her. I know, I know, kinda weird plot given the context and everything, but as the writer, what can I say? At least it's fairly original.

Anyhoo, the film will likely be featured in the aforementioned contest, which is happening next Sunday, March 2nd, at the Majestic Fox Theater in Bakersfield California. You can find more details through the link. I would love to post the film as soon as our editor (Thomas Harlander) is finished editing, but in order to be fair to everyone spending $10 on a ticket to see the film (along with the other top ten contestants), that will probably have to wait. Nevertheless, we will also be making a "Special Extended Friends and Family Edition" of the film which is basically the film how it's supposed to be. Unfortunately, the contest puts a ten minute limit on all of the films while ours was originally a solid fifteen minutes long. Guess I'll have to keep you posted on the status on that, be looking for a cast list and maybe even a poster or trailer in next couple days.

A little something to kick things off:

2008-02-20T16:18:00.000-08:00

Okay, so this is pretty much the most prominent piece of writing I've produced (so far, at least, I've written two scripts and both will be performed soon). The piece here is actually a little article about inspiration and role it plays in writing. It was published in the Septermber-October California edition of NextStep Magazine. You can read the edited article here. The original (and I think better) version goes as follows:

"As a high school student headed for college, I’ve noticed that one of the most important academic skills one can possess is a talent for writing. No matter what major or profession you pursue in high school and college, sooner or later you are going to have to write. Therefore, I’d like to share and discuss a few writing tips that I’ve acquired thus far in high school, specifically those pertaining to essays. Ironically, I was sorely lacking in inspiration for this article until a few moments ago; therefore, I’ve decided to focus primarily on the concept and importance of inspiration.
Inspiration is a writer’s greatest asset. If I ever become famous as a writer (not likely) that will be the quote I’m known for because it really sums up my writing philosophy. If you don’t have inspiration or ideas, you’re not going anywhere. You absolutely need something to write about. It is extremely difficult to put something meaningful, ordered, logical, and well structured down on paper if you do not have a plan or an idea that you are comfortable with.
I can imagine your response: “Yeah Andrew, that’s nice, but where do you get this ‘inspiration’?” To be honest I cannot give you a hard and fast answer, no one can, but it really helps to find something you’re interested in. My best works have generally revolved around a topic I enjoy or are familiar with. For instance, I’ve written a personal narrative essay about my first time paintballing. I’ve also turned in essays referencing games like Warcraft III, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, and Axis and Allies! Believe it or not, I received an “A” on every one of these assignments!
Papers are also a great field to express philosophical ideas. In fact, there is no better format to argue things such as one’s religious convictions. For example, I wrote about the depravity of man just last semester. Teachers often look primarily for the student’s views or interpretation and evidence to support them. If you write about something you’re passionate or knowledgeable about, it is that much easier to successfully argue your point.
Granted, you won’t always have this complete “freedom of topic”, and I admit that at times it can be very difficult to write essays when you are only given a few specific prompts. Do not let this hinder you, though, even if you are confined to a few or even one select topic, you can still have a little fun with your essay. I’ve mentioned Star Wars in an introduction to a biology essay about cloning, and just last spring, I quoted the lyrics from a Relient K song in a composition about The Scarlet Letter! If you are familiar with any of the band’s music, you know that Relient K is not exactly “formal essay” material. However, the lyrics fit perfectly with the point I was attempting to convey, so I used them. Again, I received a solid score on this paper as well!
My point is that it’s good to have a bit of fun with your writing, not that you should be constantly going on long expositions about Halo or quoting Jack Sparrow, but there is nothing wrong with using cool or fun subjects when appropriate. It is so much easier to be stimulated by something you like. Once again: inspiration is a writer’s greatest asset."

Welcome to my blog...

2008-02-19T21:43:00.000-08:00

Greetings readers (if any),

You are about to enter the non-specific thought life of, well, let’s just say a “different” high schooler. I have no expectations of dramatically affecting the world in these writings, in fact, the only thing that I ultimately desire of these words is that they would somehow bring glory, praise, and recognition to God. Please note this is not intended to be a journal or regular diary; rather, I’m simply posting any observations, concepts, links, articles and so on that life brings my way. Some posts you may find completely expected and perfectly normal for a person my age, other topics will possibly surprise and maybe even challenge you. That said…enjoy!